Porterville Recorder

Data recorder recovered from Leicester owner's helicopter

- By ROB HARRIS

LEICESTER, England — The flight data recorder from the helicopter that crashed with the Leicester soccer team's owner on board is being examined by investigat­ors, authoritie­s said, as his family and players paid tribute Monday at a makeshift shrine.

Vichai Srivaddhan­aprabha and four others were killed when the aircraft spiraled out of control, crashed and burst in flames outside the King Power Stadium following a Premier League game Saturday.

Aiyawatt Srivaddhan­aprabha, son of the Thai retail entreprene­ur, brought a wreath to add to a collection of flowers, jerseys and club memorabili­a that was growing after the disaster. Fans who gathered to pay respects broke into applause when Aiyawatt returned to the memorial with the players.

Investigat­ors are expected to remain at the site until the end of the week, when the wreckage is to be taken to special facilities for examinatio­n, the Air Accidents Investigat­ion Branch said.

"We recovered the digital flight data recorder (voice and data) on Sunday afternoon and one of our inspectors traveled back to Farnboroug­h with the recorder the same evening," the AAIB said in a statement. "Today, our inspectors in Farnboroug­h will start working on the recorder, which was subject to intense heat as a result of the post-accident fire."

Police have not given an update on the investigat­ion but wrote on Twitter its drone "was not in flight at the time the helicopter left the stadium."

Although only with Leicester for eight years, Vichai had a lasting impact on English soccer as the owner of the team that produced one of the greatest shocks in sports by winning the Premier League title at 5,000-1 odds in 2016.

Through horse racing and polo, the owner of Thailand's King Power duty-free chain became known to members of the British royal family, playing on occasion with Princes Charles and William. He spent millions establishi­ng his polo team, the King Power Foxes, which began in 2014 and has enjoyed success at the top levels of competitio­n in Britain.

"I was lucky to have known Vichai for several years," said Prince William, the second-in-line to the British throne. "He was a businessma­n of strong values who was dedicated to his family and who supported a number of important charitable causes. He made such a big contributi­on to football, not least through Leicester City's magical 2016 season that captured the imaginatio­n of the world."

 ?? AP PHOTO BY RUI VIEIRA ?? Tributes are placed outside Leicester City Football Club, Leicester, England, Monday Oct. 29, after a helicopter crashed in flames Saturday.
AP PHOTO BY RUI VIEIRA Tributes are placed outside Leicester City Football Club, Leicester, England, Monday Oct. 29, after a helicopter crashed in flames Saturday.

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