[ad_1]
LEICESTER, England – Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, owner of the English Premier League football club in Leicester City, was killed on Saturday night when his helicopter crashed into a fireball outside the stadium, confirmed Sunday the team.
The helicopter crashed around 20:30. King Power Stadium after the Leicester City match against West Ham United. One of Mr. Vichai's two daughters, Voramas Srivaddhanaprabha; two pilots; and a fifth unidentified person would also have been on board, according to reports.
In the absence of official statement from Mr. Vichai's family, the football club or the police more than 24 hours after the crash, fans filled the void of hope and expressed thanks for the owner and his family.
On Sunday, many fans – initially dozens, then hundreds – headed for King Power Stadium, carrying flowers, scarves and the Royal Blue jersey of Leicester, and paying their respects carefully in front of an improvised shrine at outside the stadium.
Against the wall stood an image of Ganesha – a testimony of the city's large Hindu population, about 100 km northwest of London – and a small statue of Buddha – a tribute to Mr. Vichai's faith.
Rosemary Page said she could not stay home on Sunday. Since she and her husband, Andrew, have heard of the accident, she was unable to sleep.
"You just want to get more and more information," said Ms. Page, 61, outside the stadium. "It does not seem real. He was the best owner of this club. "
For many, the accident seemed personal. Mr. Vichai, a Thai billionaire who founded royalty-free retail giant King Power International and controls part of AirAsia, the largest discount carrier in the region, has been a favorite of fans ever since. he bought the team for 39 million pounds.
He had languished in the second-place championship. He then turned it into Premier League Champion in 2016 – the first title in 132 years of history.
Among the tributes to the King Power Stadium, there were photos of Mr. Vichai during the victory parade and a t-shirt, printed after the victory of 2016, which reads: "Champions of England, we know what we are. "
His popularity was not, however, simply rooted in his success.
"He did so much in the community of the city, gave so much to the charity," said 58-year-old Nick Orr, who came to the stadium to pay tribute to his family. "He was such a nice man. I do not say it lightly, but it's like losing a member of your family. "
As bouquets and souvenirs continued to arrive on Sunday, staff members cordoned off an area around the stadium as a sanctuary. hot dogs and donuts at the stadium around her birthday.
After the city of Leicester City drew 1-1 against West Ham on Saturday, many witnesses claimed to have seen the helicopter clean up the stadium before it became uncontrollable. An investigation is underway to determine what exactly caused the helicopter to land.
The city was already in mourning, many fearing the worst even before the death of Mr. Srivaddhanaprabha was confirmed.
"Anyone waiting to hear about a man we've never met or met before, adore and adore," Hayley Sanderson wrote on Twitter. "It's the real meaning of football. Hearts are breaking all over the city right now.
"Absolutely devastating news about the #LCFC helicopter crash," Neil Harris wrote on Twitter. "In addition to funding the club for a decade, these guys have thrown millions into local hospitals and charities."
"You can not express in words the love and respect they have for them in this city," said Harris.
"I think most of us, fans of #LCFC, wake up waiting for the inevitable news," Kristopher Warder, who describes himself as "a huge fan of #LCFC " wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
"This is the man who allowed us to live this dream. There is no landlord in the country who is getting close to the way he has become connected to a city. "
Some fans had hope.
"You have achieved the greatest football miracle," wrote Charlie Palethorpe, a 20-year-old student at the University of Brighton. tweet. "Pray for a miracle now," he added.
Leicester City players Harry Maguire and Wilfred Ndidi shared emojis of prayer on Twitter, along with former team member Islam Slimani. "No voice," wrote Ben Chilwell, a defender from Leicester City and the English national team.
Gary Lineker, one of England's most famous former professional football players and host of the popular BBC program Match of the Day, began his career in Leicester City. He described the events as "terrible tragedy" and "heartbreaking".
The news of the crash of the helicopter was announced as Mr. Lineker's show began Saturday night. "It's the most difficult @BBCMOTD I've ever hosted," he wrote on Twitter.
There was so much public interest in the accident that the Leicestershire Police issued a statement urging them to be "patient, understanding and not to speculate on details and circumstances".
Rescuers remained on scene Sunday afternoon and police said they were expecting the investigation to continue over the next few days.
[ad_2]
Source link
