Iheanacho’s club owner ‘was on board crashed helicopter’

The owner of Leicester City was on board his helicopter when it crashed in a ball of flames outside the football club’s stadium, sources say.

Witnesses said that the aircraft spiralled then crashed to the ground in a huge fireball in car park E – the club’s staff car park which is about 200 metres from the stadium.

The helicopter, understood to be carrying the club’s Thai billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, had taken off from the pitch just moments earlier at around 8.30pm.

Reuters news agency said four other people were also on board, including two pilots and two others who have not been identified.

After every home game a number of dignitaries are taken away from the stadium in the helicopter.

Vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, the owner’s son who is known as Top, and the director of football, John Rudkin, were not on-board.

Firefighters were seen putting the massive fire out
Fans who were still leaving the stadium after Leicester City drew 1-1 with West Ham were seen running away as the helicopter came down.

The stadium was evacuated soon after the crash and the area around it was closed off. West Ham’s team bus had already left but some Leicester players were still inside the stadium.

A man, who wished to not be named, but has held a season ticket for more than four decades, told Sky Sports he saw goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel running out of the stadium seconds after the crash before “loads of security guards and stewards”.

Many fans remained near the stadium out of concern for those in the helicopter, with a hush having spread through the supporters.

It has not been officially confirmed how many people were in the helicopter or how serious their injuries are, and it is not known whether anyone on the ground was affected.