Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the owner of Leicester City football club, died in a tragic helicopter crash on Saturday night after watching his club play in England. British Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince William led tributes yesterday to Srivaddhanaprabha, who was among five people who died in a helicopter crash outside its stadium on Saturday. Football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA joined in tributes from around the world after the Premier League club confirmed the Thai billionaire was among those to have died.
In a statement, May said: "My thoughts are with those family, friends and supporters connected to the tragic crash outside Leicester City's stadium on Saturday night. Prince William, who is president of England's Football Association, said in a statement released by Kensington Palace: "My thoughts today are with the family and friends of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and all the victims of the terrible crash at Leicester City Football Club. "I was lucky to have known Vichai for several years. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said football's governing body "extends its deepest sympathies" to the victims' families and friends and "to the many football fans for whom Vichai was an integral member of The Foxes family." UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said European football "is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic deaths of the owner of Leicester City, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and the other four people who lost their lives."
Vichai took over Leicester in 2010 and oversaw the club's unexpected Premier League title victory in 2015/16. He was also respected locally for his charity work, having donated 2 million pounds (2.5 million dollars) to Leicester Children's Hospital.
