Leicester City owner's helicopter crashes outside King Power Stadium

In a horrific incident following Leicester City's 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Saturday, a helicopter widely reported to be owned by club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the King Power Stadium.

Srivaddhanaprabha is believed to have been on board at the time of the crash, according to The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg, which happened around an hour after the final whistle.

A statement from Leicestershire Police on Twitter read: "We are dealing with an incident in the vicinity of the King Power Stadium. Emergency services are aware and dealing."

Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett reported: "It sounds as if there was a problem with the rear tail propeller which sent it spinning out of control and it crashed into the car park at the rear of the King Power Stadium, just a few hundred meters away from where the pitch is, before it burst into flames."

Video taken at the site shows startling flames and a rising plume of thick black smoke. The fire has since been extinguished.

According to The Telegraph's John Percy, club players and staff, including goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, were in tears following the crash.

"The helicopter was hovering near the stadium roof after taking off and then it started to come down," an eyewitness said. "There were flames everywhere, it was horrible to see it happen in front of us."

Another supporter added: "It just came out of the stadium already spinning then down to the ground. Just in a spiral. It hit the ground with a big bang then burst into flames. It’s over on the other side of the car park, I don’t think there were people there. I’m shaking like anything."

Srivaddhanaprabha is known to take helicopter rides back to London after Leicester matches. The aircraft generally takes off from the stadium's pitch.

The 60-year-old bought the club in 2010. Under his ownership, the Foxes stunned the world by winning the 2015-16 Premier League title.