Family of Former King Power Chairman Files £2.15 Billion Lawsuit Against Helicopter Manufacturer
The family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the late chairman of King Power and owner of Leicester City Football Club, has filed a £2.15 billion (US$2.7 billion) lawsuit against Italian helicopter manufacturer Leonardo SpA. The legal action, filed in a London court, seeks compensation for loss of earnings and other damages, marking it as the largest fatal accident claim in English legal history, according to the family’s statement issued on Friday.
Background of the Incident
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, was one of five people killed in a tragic helicopter crash on October 27, 2018. The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from King Power Stadium in Leicester, following a football match. Also aboard the Leonardo AW169 helicopter were pilot Eric Swaffer, his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, and two members of Vichai’s staff, Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare.
In 2023, Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) released a report concluding that the crash was caused by a tail rotor failure, leaving the pilot unable to recover the aircraft.
Allegations Against Leonardo SpA
The Srivaddhanaprabha family alleges that Leonardo SpA is liable for Vichai’s death, citing a “sequence of failures” stemming from a seized key component in the tail rotor, identified by the AAIB as the cause of the crash.
The family’s claim argues that:
- Leonardo recognized the criticality of the component during the design phase but failed to ensure its reliability.
- A design alteration used in other helicopter variants to mitigate such risks was not implemented in the AW169 model involved in the crash.
- The manufacturer failed to adequately warn customers or regulators about the potential risk.
The statement from the family emphasized that this design alteration alone could have prevented the total loss of control and subsequent fatalities.
Family’s Statement and Legal Representation
Vichai’s son, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who succeeded him as chairman of Leicester City and King Power, expressed profound disappointment with Leonardo. “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,” Aiyawatt stated.
The family has enlisted British aviation law firm Stewarts, along with senior barristers Philip Shepherd KC and Harry Steinberg KC, to pursue the case.
Manufacturer’s Defense
Following the AAIB report, Leonardo maintained that its AW169 helicopters are safe to fly and comply with all regulatory requirements. The company has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Implications for Helicopter Safety
Peter Neenan, a partner at Stewarts, stressed the importance of ensuring the safety and reliability of Leonardo’s aircraft. “Leonardo’s customers include national militaries, air ambulances, and other first responders across the globe. It is critical that all operators of these helicopters have faith and confidence in the machines,” he said.
This high-profile case brings renewed scrutiny to aviation safety standards and the responsibilities of manufacturers in mitigating risks associated with critical components in aircraft design.
