Leicester City crash victim's family sues owners for $10m

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Nusara SuknamaiImage source, Nursara Suknamai
Image caption,

Nusara Suknamai was one of the five people killed in the crash

The family of a woman who died in the Leicester City helicopter crash has sued the estate of the club's billionaire owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Nusara Suknamai, one of Mr Vichai's staff, was on board the helicopter when it crashed outside the stadium in October 2018.

Her family has sued for 300 million baht ($9.8m; £7.9m) in damages.

All five people aboard, including Mr Vichai, died in the crash.

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, just over an hour after Leicester had drawn against West Ham United in the Premier League.

Media caption,

Footage shows the take-off of the helicopter

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

Ms Nusara was an employee of Mr Vichai's King Power Group. Her family's lawyers said the company did not compensate them in any way.

The family only received 75,000 baht ($2,460; £1,980) for the funeral and some money to donate to monks, the lawyers told reporters.

In addition to the funeral costs, 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.

The BBC Thai service has contacted King Power Group for comment about the case, but has yet to receive a reply.

The trial is scheduled to begin on 25 November.

Image source, Getty Images/Facebook/Instagram
Image caption,

(L-R): Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, Izabela Roza Lechowicz and Eric Swaffer were killed in the crash

Ms Nusara was the main financial supporter of her parents, the lawyers said.

She had been a runner-up in Miss Thailand Universe in 2005 and her performance won her the title Miss Intercontinental Thailand and Miss Photogenic.