The inquest into the Leicester City helicopter crash heard that police officers attempted to break the windscreen after the aircraft crashed. The helicopter was on its way from the King Power Stadium to London Stansted Airport when it went down.
The inquest into the deaths of five people in a helicopter crash outside Leicester City's stadium has heard that police officers tried to break the aircraft's windscreen after it crashed. Police officers in a patrol car spotted the helicopter, on its way from the King Power Stadium to London Stansted Airport, as it dropped.
A police sergeant, who was on the scene within seconds, tried to smash the windscreen with a baton to get into the cockpit, but the coroner was told it was a 'very strong structure' designed to withstand a bird strike at a speed of 180mph (290kph). Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) principal inspector Mark Jarvis said: 'You would need specialist equipment to get through the windscreen.' Stills from a police bodycam and dashcam were also shown at the inquest, capturing the helicopter on fire and showing an officer returning to his vehicle to collect an extinguisher. Leicester's owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, died in the 2018 crash, along with two of his staff, Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer, and Mr Swaffer's girlfriend Izabela Roza Lechowicz, a fellow pilot. As the inquest opened at Leicester City Hall on Monday, the jury heard pen portraits of the victims, with Mr Srivaddhanaprabha described by his family as a 'caring and devoted husband, father, uncle and grandfather'. In a tribute read to the court by family barrister Philip Shepherd KC, the relatives called him 'a great inspiration to us all and we all loved him very much. 'He was adored by everyone for his kind spirit, generosity, charm, sense of humour and intellect,' they said. Kate Lechowicz, Ms Lechowicz's sister, described her in a statement read to the inquest, as an 'extraordinary individual' who 'exuded a passion for life' and who 'accomplished her task with grace and efficiency'. Kate Lechowicz also read a statement in tribute to the helicopter's pilot, Mr Swaffer, and said: 'He was great company. He had profound love for aviation, technology, travel, his motorbike and life in general. 'There was nothing he had not tried his hand at. He excelled at everything he did.' Tributes were also paid to passenger Kaveporn Punpare, who had a young daughter and was one of several butlers employed by the late Leicester City chairman. A statement prepared for the inquest by his wife said he had initially worked for Khun Vichai as an assistant butler who accompanied family members on trips. Meanwhile, Ms Suknamai, a former Miss Thailand contestant, was described at the inquest as a 'pillar' of her family. They said in a statement prepared by a lawyer: 'This is the greatest loss for the family. We will never forget it.' Jurors were played footage shot by a supporter from the side of the pitch, showing the twin-engine Leonardo AW169 helicopter taking off at 8.37pm, before going into a spin and disappearing from view behind a stand. Read more from Sky News: Eleven bodies found after mine explosion End of cold snap brings north-south divide Tyson Fury says he is retiring Mr Jarvis said: 'It will move forward slightly and then it will begin a rearward climb over the stadium roof. You will see it start to enter a right-hand turn. It will start to rotate rapidly and descend behind the stadium.' Last week, City's owners launched a lawsuit against the helicopter's manufacturer, Italian company Leonardo SpA for £2.15bn. It's the largest fatal accident claim in English history, according to the family's lawyers, based on compensation for the loss of earnings and other damages, as a result of the billionaire's death
HELICOPTER CRASH LEICESTER INQUEST POLICE VICTIMS
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Manchester Police Officer Tried to Murder Girlfriend in Premier InnA Manchester Evening News article recounts a shocking case of domestic violence involving a police officer who attempted to murder his girlfriend.
Read more »
Teenager found with machete in his trousers while in taxiMohammed Moussa tried to escape the police after the taxi he was in was pulled over
Read more »
Police Ombudsman Investigating Incident Involving Special Needs Girl and PoliceThe Police Ombudsman's Office is investigating an incident involving police and a young girl with special needs at a shop in Lisburn after footage of the encounter was posted on social media.
Read more »
Former Renfrewshire Police Commander Receives King's Police MedalAlan Speirs, a former Renfrewshire police area commander, has been recognized for his 36 years of service with the King's Police Medal.
Read more »
Injured Police Officer Sues Met Police Over Horse IncidentPC Nicky Vernon, who suffered severe injuries during a BLM protest in London, is suing the Met for negligence, claiming they were aware of her horse's history of unsafe behavior.
Read more »
Man shot dead by armed police after five-hour stand-offA man with a knife was shot dead by armed police last night after a five-hour stand-off. Police were called to the incident in Fownhope Close, Redditch just after 2pm yesterday after ‘significant’ concerns were raised for a man inside a property. West Mercia Police said a police negotiator responded, and tried to resolve the situation by engaging with the man over several hours but, at approximately 7.40pm he was shot dead by police.
Read more »