Kapser Schmeichel left numb and in tears after tragic helicopter crash outside King Power… as Leicester goalkeeper remains in stadium until nearly 1am
- Kasper Schmeichel was numb and in tears after the tragic helicopter crash
- The Leicester goalkeeper was at the stadium at 1am as he processed the events
- A helicopter owned by Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha burst into flames
- Shortly after taking off from the pitch, it is said to have spiraled and crashed
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was left numb and in shock at the King Power stadium in the early hours of Sunday morning as he tried to come to terms with the club owner’s helicopter crashing in a nearby car-park.
The No 1 goalkeeper is said to have quickly gone to establish what happened after emergency services descended on mass to car park E to tackle the blaze which began after the helicopter spiraled to the ground.
The helicopter belonged to Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and it burst into flames shortly after taking off from the centre of the pitch following the 1-1 draw with West Ham.
Kasper Schmeichel was left numb and in tears as he came to terms with the helicopter crash
The helicopter belonged to Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and crashed in car park E
One man, who wished not to be named, but has had a season ticket for over 40 years, told Sky News: ‘I saw Kasper Schmeichel run out first and then loads of security guards and stewards.
‘I was stood outside the ground but it crashed on the other side. I hope everyone is OK.’
Schmeichel joined stunned onlookers as emergency services looked to establish what had happened and the Danish stopper was still at the stadium long after the final whistle. According to eye-witness reports, the 31-year-old was clearly overcome by emotion at the sight of the scene.
The news left the club and the rest of the football world in total shock as the enormity of the disaster sunk in.
The helicopter took off from the stadium but just seconds later the aircraft spun out of control
Schmeichel joined the club in 2011 and quickly forged a strong relationship with the owners
A spokesperson for the club provided a short statement in the hours that followed the initial breaking story.
It read: ‘We are assisting Leicestershire Police and the emergency services in dealing with a major incident at King Power Stadium. The Club will issue a more detailed statement once further information has been established.’
The 31-year-old goalkeeper joined the Foxes in 2011, a year after Thai billionaire Srivaddhanaprabha bought the club from Milan Mandaric for £39million.
He forged a strong relationship with the club’s hierarchy and was a key part of the side that stunned the footballing world to win the Premier League title in 2015-16.