Leicester Metropolis’s homeowners have launched a landmark lawsuit in opposition to a helicopter producer following the membership chairman’s loss of life in a crash in 2018.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s household are suing Italian firm Leonardo SpA for £2.15bn after the 60-year-old chairman and 4 others have been killed when their helicopter crashed simply exterior the King Energy Stadium in October 2018.
The lawsuit is the biggest deadly accident declare in English historical past, in accordance with the household’s legal professionals. They’re asking for compensation for the lack of earnings and different damages, because of the billionaire’s loss of life.
The authorized motion comes greater than six years after the deadly crash and as an inquest into the loss of life of the 60-year-old chairman and his fellow passengers is ready to start on Monday.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s son Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who took over because the membership’s chairman, mentioned: “My household feels the lack of my father as a lot at this time as we ever have completed.
“That my own children, and their cousins will never know their grandfather compounds our suffering… 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 late Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s firm, King Energy, was incomes greater than £2.5bn in income per yr, in accordance with his household’s legal professionals. The lawsuit claims “that success was driven by Khun Vichai’s vision, drive, relationships, entrepreneurism, ingenuity and reputation.”
“All of this was lost with his death,” it provides.
The deadly crash happened shortly after the helicopter took off from Leicester’s floor following a 1-1 draw in opposition to West Ham on 27 October 2018.
The plane landed on a concrete step and 4 of the 5 occupants survived the preliminary affect, however all subsequently died within the gasoline hearth that engulfed the helicopter inside a minute.
Hundreds of tributes have been left exterior the bottom within the wake of the tragedy. Pic: James Wilson/Sportimage
The opposite victims have been two of Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s workers, Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and Mr Swaffer’s girlfriend Izabela Roza Lechowicz, a fellow pilot.
Investigators discovered the pilot’s pedals turned disconnected from the tail rotor – ensuing within the plane making a pointy proper flip which was “impossible” to regulate, earlier than the helicopter spun rapidly, roughly 5 instances.
The Air Accidents Investigation Department described this as “a catastrophic failure” and concluded the pilot was unable to forestall the crash.
The lawsuit alleges the crash was the results of ‘multiple failures’ in Leonardo’s design course of. It additionally alleges that the producer didn’t warn clients or regulators in regards to the threat.
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In an announcement, the helicopter producer mentioned: “Leonardo has the deepest sympathy for many who misplaced their lives within the accident, all of them clearly cherished by their households, mates and communities. Their deaths have been an unquestionable tragedy.
“Leonardo is aware of the claim which has been issued by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s family in the English High Court and is considering this with its legal advisers and insurers. Leonardo intends to defend this claim.”
The agency added: “Leonardo notes that the AAIB Closing Report, launched in September 2023, has not directed any Really helpful Actions to Leonardo. The AAIB report concluded that Leonardo complied with all regulatory necessities in each the design and manufacture of the AW169.
“Leonardo meets the most modern and stringent certification and safety standards in the sector.”
