Kasper Schmeichel knew right away that “no one could have survived” the tragic Leicester City helicopter crash.
Former Foxes goalkeeper Schmeichel was the first on the scene as Leicester chief Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others were killed in a tragic helicopter crash after taking off from the club’s King Power Stadium in 2018. The Thai billionaire, who guided Leicester to a miracle Premier League title two years prior, often used his helicopter to travel to and from games.
He was waved off by Schmeichel and the keeper’s family on the pitch. Just seconds later, though, Schmeichel and others watching on were gripped by fear as the helicopter hovered to one side and spun five times in 14 seconds.
Schmeichel recalled the traumatic incident on The Rest Is Football podcast, saying: “I remember looking at each other thinking ‘that doesn’t look normal’. I was thinking this isn’t real. I remember running out of the ground past the fans shouting, and I hear a really loud metallic thud.
“As I come around the corner of the stadium I see the flames. I’m sprinting towards it and get right up to it and having this really vivid moment that will live with me forever of looking at this wreckage, feeling the searing heat of it, and thinking there’s no way anyone can survive this.
Premier League odds and betting tips
“It was horrible. I could practically touch the helicopter at one point when it was on its side on fire. It’s one of those things that will live with me forever.
“At that point I remember having a really strange moment of clarity where I thought about my own kids. I remember thinking I want to try and get into this helicopter to do something but knowing no one would survive this. And, if this thing blows up here, my kids are going to be without a dad.”
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha regularly departed from the stadium's pitch (Getty Images)At that exact second, the shot-stopper – now at Anderlecht – felt a hand grab him from behind and pull him away. It was one of the security guards who had seen and followed him to the wreckage site.
He added: “I just went to my knees and realised that’s it. There’s no one coming out of there,” recalling the chaos as fire engines, police and ambulance services arrived at the scene.
Leicester City fans visited the memorial garden at King Power Stadium after the helicopter crash which killed five people, including chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (Plumb Images)The 37-year-old Dane, who was the last player left at the stadium, went on to say everything else was a blur to him on that “horrible, horrible day.”
Pilot Eric Swaffer, who also died onboard, was almost able to save his passengers by executing every emergency action correctly and cushioning the impact of the crash. But the helicopter hit a half-metre-high concrete step, which unfortunately caused a significant fuel leak and set the vehicle ablaze.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
