Police officer sobs as he recounts desperate attempts to save Leicester City helicopter crash victims as they begged for help - but fireball inferno was too great
A police officer sobbed today as he told the inquest into the deaths of five people in the Leicester City helicopter crash how he desperately tried to rescue the victims – before 'realising they were going to die'.
Five people, including the Premier League club's billionaire owner Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, were killed when the Leonardo AW169 span out of control and smashed into a stadium car park, just seconds after it had taken off from the centre circle of the pitch following a game against West Ham United.
Pilot Eric Swaffer, 53, his girlfriend and fellow pilot, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, 46, and two members of Khun Vichai's staff - former beauty queen Nusara Suknamai, 32, and 33-year-old Kaveporn Punpare, also perished in the disaster, on October 27, 2018.
An Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) report, published in 2023, found the tragedy was caused by Mr Swaffer's pedals becoming disconnected from the tail rotor after a worn metal bearing seized – and concluded he could have done 'very little' to save those on board.
The inquest heard the helicopter crash-landed on a brick and concrete step, rupturing a fuel tank and triggering a fire which quickly consumed the aircraft.
On its second day, jurors at Leicester City Hall heard heart-rending accounts from those who saw the helicopter plunge to the ground after it had reached a height of around 430ft above the club's stadium.
They included two police officers – Sergeant Mike Hooper and PC Steve Quartermain – who had been on duty at the game and were leaving the area when the incident took place at 8.37pm.
Tragically, PC Quartermain described how the three passengers and Mr Swaffer – who cried out for help - appeared to still be alive when he and his colleague arrived at the scene, on a patch of wasteland between two car parks just outside the ground.

Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha applauds after Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016

Pilot Eric Swaffer and his girlfriend and fellow pilot Izabela Roza Lechowicz died in the crash


Two members of Khun Vichai's staff - former beauty queen Nusara Suknamai (left), 32, and 33-year-old Kaveporn Punpare (right), also perished in the disaster, on October 27, 2018
He said he and Sergeant Hooper tried to reach them – but were beaten back by intense heat and flames as a huge fire took hold, leaving them unable to save anyone.
The pair had been on patrol nearby when they saw the helicopter start to rotate and heard a 'loud crunch' as it hit the ground outside Leicester City's King Power Stadium.
PC Quartermain told the hearing: 'As soon as Mike stopped the car I got out. The aircraft was on fire. I got within two or three feet of it. The fire only took up a small portion at that time but seemed to be spreading quickly.
'I could see there were 3 people in back. There seemed to be three people moving their arms and legs around.
'The pilot was sat in his seat. He was looking at me but not reacting. Don't know if he was unconscious.'
The inquest heard the helicopter landed on its left side, with its right-hand doors 2.5m in the air.

The Leonardo AW169 span out of control and smashed into the King Power Stadium car park

Emergency workers pictured at the scene of the helicopter crash just outside the stadium
PC Quartermain added: 'The only place I could have got in was through windscreen or something on bottom of aircraft facing me.'
He then wept as he said: 'Flames started to take towards the rear of the aircraft and it was at that point I realised the people were going to die.
'I looked towards the pilot and he had started to come round. I left the scene to try and find Mike. He was at the rear of our car. I shouted, "Mike, the pilot's still alive".
'He came running back with me towards craft and started to strike windscreen with baton.'
The officer said the fire was 'stinging' and 'probably the hottest thing I have ever experienced', before telling jurors Mr Swaffer appeared to reaching down to his left.
He added: 'I don't know if he was trying to exit the aircraft. He seemed to gather himself and looked at Mike and I and shouted, "Help, get me out, help me".
'But it was too hot. The fire took hold of cockpit and Mike said he didn't think there was anything else we could do, and we withdrew towards the gate. The helicopter was banging and popping, with small explosions.'
Sergeant Hooper also gave evidence, and described how the pilot appeared 'dazed' as he sat in the right-hand front seat.

Floral tributes for the victims of the helicopter crash near the King Power Stadium in 2018

Leicester City fans wearing Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha shirts that read 'The Boss' and waving their scarves in remembrance of the Leicester City chairman at match at Cardiff City in 2018
'I looked at the helicopter and the only route in I could see was through the windscreen', he told the inquest jury.
'I withdrew my baton from my body armour and struck windscreen three to five times to try to break it
'Every time it hit, it bounced off, and it was repelling my baton every time.'
An Air Accident Investigation Branch investigator had previously told the court that the windscreen of the helicopter was 'designed to withstand a 1kg bird strike at 180mph' and could only be penetrated with specialist equipment.
Sergeant Hooper said he tried in vain to use the fire extinguisher on the flames, using it until it ran out.
He added: 'The helicopter continued to pop and bang, and it was unbearably hot. There was nothing we could do. I shouted at everyone to get back, fearing it was about to explode.'
After completing their evidence, the officers were praised for their 'incredible bravery' by many of the lawyers representing interested parties in the inquest, including Khun Vichai's family, and Leicester City FC.
Earlier Martin Wickes, who was part of the club’s maintenance team, told the hearing how he saw the helicopter hit the ground, and had to help console Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who was ‘on his knees’ in a car park watching the aftermath of the crash.

The helicopter lands on the King Power Stadium pitch at the end of the game between before Leicester City and West Ham United making its final fateful journey on October 27, 2018

Leicester City director of football Jon Rudkin arrives yesterday at Leicester Coroner's Court, at the Town Hall in Leicester, at the start of the inquests for the helicopter crash victims
He said: 'I approached to within less than ten feet of the helicopter. In our heads it was to try and help. I didn't want to get too close because unfortunately I was covered in aviation fuel at the time, from where I had been.
'Everything seemed in slow motion. It was a whirlwind of consciousness. The flame increased in height. They (the police) arrived and I saw the one who initially made contact remove his baton and engage with the front of the helicopter.
'I made them aware it was catching fire. They were still trying to gain access until I made them aware it was igniting.'
He added: 'Kasper Schmeichel was on his knees in car park. We made our way over to him to pick him up.'
Darren Pyke, a sound engineer for BT Sport, had been working at the game when he saw the helicopter spin out of control.
He said: 'As it was approaching the ground I noticed the main rotor blades were not really spinning.
'It came down, the nose hit, and it gently rolled over and came to a standstill on the ground.'
He ran to the helicopter and then noticed a flame at the tail section. Mr Pyke added: 'I thought, "How long does this take before it goes bang?" I could smell some aviation fuel.
'I saw someone coming and I remember motioning up to them not to move. The flames had started. It was about 30 seconds to a minute after that the police car turned up.'
The inquest comes days after it was revealed Khun Vichai's family had launched a £2.15 billion legal action against the aircraft's manufacturer, Leonardo UK – described by lawyers as 'the largest fatal accident claim in English history'.
The hearing, which is expected to last up to three weeks, continues.