Sawt Falasteen - Inquest opens into 2018 helicopter crash that killed Leicester City owner

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others were killed when the Thai billionaire's personal helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from the Premier League club's King Power Stadium following a match in October 2018.

Catherine Mason, the coroner presiding over the hearing, told the jury that under English law the role of an inquest is simply to determine the facts over how someone died rather than make rulings on individual guilt or innocence.

"An inquest hears evidence so the jury can make findings of fact and come to a conclusion about the deaths," said Mason, sitting at Leicester City Hall. "Nobody is on trial here.

"An inquest does not decide matters of criminal or civil liability," added Mason, who also said the hearing was expected to last for between two and three weeks.

In a tribute read to the court by the lawyer for the family of Srivaddhanaprabha, he was described as "a good man with a good heart".

The family statement also paid tribute to his role in reviving Leicester's fortunes and bankrolling their shock Premier League title triumph in 2016 after the Midlands club were 5,000/1 rank outsiders to be crowned champions of England at the start of that season.

"Khun Vichai had a vision to the put the club in the Premier League. He wanted to build the club up, not just run it.

"With his support and commitment the team won the Premier League in 2016 -- in only their second year in the division.

"We miss him every day. The pain his death caused and continues to cause our family is immeasurable."

In a separate development, the family announced last week they had launched a £2.15 billion ($2.63 billion) legal action against the manufacturers of the helicopter, in what is reported to be the largest fatal accident claim in English history.

D.Khalil--SF-PST