Srivaddhanaprabha Family sues helicopter manufacturer

The family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the late chairman of King Power Group and Leicester City Football Club, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in October 2018, has filed a lawsuit against Leonardo S.p.A., the manufacturer of the helicopter. 

The Srivaddhanaprabha family cites a 209-page report by the UK's Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), published in September 2023, which highlighted issues with the helicopter’s safety systems. The report followed the crash of Vichai's helicopter in the parking area of King Power Stadium in Leicester.

According to the AAIB investigation, the crash was caused by the failure of a pair of bearings and the tail rotor control system. These failures resulted in the helicopter losing control, crashing to the ground, and ultimately catching fire.

The family also alleges that the manufacturer was negligent in its design and failed to implement safeguards to prevent loss of control in the helicopter, which led to the fatal accident.

Vichai, the founder of King Power Group, began his business with duty-free retail outlets in cities and airports before expanding into a variety of industries, both domestically and internationally. He was also the owner of Leicester City Football Club in England and OH Leuven Football Club in Belgium.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Vichai's son and now CEO of King Power Group and chairman of Leicester City Football Club, expressed his family's enduring grief over the tragedy.

"My family still feels like this incident happened just yesterday. Our sorrow over losing my father has never diminished. I deeply regret that my children and grandchildren never had the chance to meet their grandfather."

Aiyawatt added: "I have read the AAIB report multiple times, and it’s profoundly upsetting because this was an accident waiting to happen. My father purchased this helicopter because he trusted Leonardo. It is deeply tragic, and Leonardo must be held accountable for my father’s death."

The Srivaddhanaprabha family has engaged top legal firm Stewarts and expert attorneys Philip Shepherd and Harry Steinberg to file a lawsuit against Leonardo S.p.A. Peter Neenan, a lawyer from Stewarts, commented:

"We are relying on the AAIB report to support the case against Leonardo. The report focuses on safety and not blame-shifting, and it is among the most heartbreaking documents I’ve ever read. This case requires an extremely meticulous analysis of all breaches and negligence in the design process."

Neenan also emphasized the broader implications of the case. "This case serves as a crucial lesson for all Leonardo clients, including military forces, ambulance services, and frontline operations worldwide. Every customer or owner of a Leonardo helicopter relies on the brand’s reputation for quality and safety."