Legal action seeking $2.7 billion cites critical design flaw linked to 2018 helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Leicester City chairman and four others
LONDON – The family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the former chairman of King Power and owner of Leicester City football club, has filed a legal suit valued at £2.15 billion (US$2.7 billion) against the Italian helicopter manufacturer Leonardo SpA in a London court. This case marks the largest fatal accident claim in English history, as the family seeks compensation for loss of earnings and other damages.
Vichai, 60, tragically lost his life along with four others in a helicopter crash shortly after takeoff outside King Power Stadium in Leicester on October 27, 2018. The incident occurred following a Premier League match, and the deceased included pilot Eric Swaffer, his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, and two of Vichai’s staff members, Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare.
A report from Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) released in 2023 indicated that the pilot could not recover from a tail rotor failure on the Leonardo AW169 helicopter owned by Vichai. Despite the findings, Leonardo asserted that its AW169 helicopters are safe to fly and comply with all regulatory standards.
Claims of Design Flaws
The Srivaddhanaprabha family alleges that Leonardo bears responsibility for Vichai’s death, citing a critical component in the tail rotor identified in the AAIB report. The claim suggests that the failure of this component initiated a series of malfunctions, resulting in an uncontrollable and fatal spin of the helicopter.
The legal filing points out that essential design changes made to other helicopter variants that could have mitigated risks were not utilized in the accident model. The family contends that these oversights could have prevented the loss of control and the tragedy that ensued.
Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who succeeded his father as chairman of Leicester City and King Power, expressed deep disappointment in Leonardo’s design oversight, stating, “My father trusted Leonardo when he bought that helicopter, but the conclusions of the report into his death show that his trust was fatally misplaced. I hold them wholly responsible for his death.”
The family has enlisted British aviation law firm Stewarts for representation, supported by senior barristers Philip Shepherd KC and Harry Steinberg KC. Legal expert Peter Neenan emphasized the critical need for trust in helicopter safety, noting that Leonardo’s clients include national militaries and emergency services worldwide.
