LEICESTER, England (AP) — Thai billionaire and Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died when his helicopter crashed in a parking lot next to the soccer club's stadium, was known to fans as a benevolent man who brought the club its fairytale English Premier League title in 2016. He was 60.
The business world remembers Vichai as the entrepreneur who grew Thailand's massive King Power duty-free chain.
The sight of his helicopter taking off from the middle of the field — to take Vichai to his English base near London in Berkshire — was a regular feature after the club's home games.
On Saturday, it turned into a horror scene when the chopper appeared to suddenly lose power, plummeting to the ground in a parking lot outside the empty stadium and bursting into flames.
