Leicester City owner 'declines' crash victim's family claim

Leicester City's owners say they are "declining" to pay compensation to the family of a woman who died in the helicopter crash outside the stadium.

Nusara Suknamai was on board when it crashed near the King Power stadium in October 2018, along with the club's owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Ms Nusara's family is suing the estate of Mr Vichai for 300 million baht ($9.8m; £7.9m) in damages.

King Power, the owner of the club, said it was "declining" the claim.

Mr Vichai was chairman of Bangkok-based King Power, Thailand's leading travel retail group, of which Ms Nusara was an employee.

In a statement the firm said: "King Power had provided Nusara's family with all legal support and assistances, including claim against insurance after the accident.

"However, the family accepted only statutory and welfare payments but denied other assistances offered."

It added that it had offered "financial support" on a "humanitarian basis" to the family but they declined.

Ms Nusara's family's lawyers said the family received 75,000 baht ($2,460; £1,980) for the funeral and some money to donate to monks.

Lawyers said they had been offered first $25,000 (£20,100) and later $50,000 (£40,200) but declined to take the money as it would have required them to waive rights to further insurance claims.

Kaveporn Punpare, a member of Mr Vichai's staff, and pilots Eric Swaffer and Izabela Roza Lechowicz also died when the helicopter spiralled out of control after taking off from the club's stadium on 27 October.

It came down in a car park near the stadium and exploded in flames.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said in December that cockpit pedals had disconnected from the helicopter's tail rotor.

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