Leicester (Reuters) – A sea of flowers, Fanschals and jerseys is located in front of the King Power stadium. There are so many that security forces have erected a fence.

Stunned hundreds of Fans of Leicester City are in the sunshine on the grid and mourn. Members of the family of club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha down in tears, a wreath. The death of the Thai billionaire has shocked the football-crazy city.

“It’s a beautiful day here,” says club Ambassador Alan Birchenall to the channel Sky Sports, “but it’s a terrible day for us.” Late Sunday night it was confirmed what had feared in Leicester already. Srivaddhanaprabha was on Board the helicopter that crashed on the stadium Parking lot and in flames had risen. In addition to the club boss, four more people were killed – the Pilot and his partner, as well as a staff member and a staff member of the Srivaddhanaprabha.

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who was within minutes of the crash, published an emotional open letter to the Fans and players alike popular owner. “It is hard to put into words how much you have meant to the Club and the city of Leicester,” wrote flattering. “You have not taken care of only with devotion to the Club, but to the whole community. Their countless donations to Leicester’s hospitals and charitable institutions, we will not forget.”

Active and former Leicester players were so upset as professionals and trainers from other Clubs. The British Prime Minister, Theresa May tweeted that she was in thoughts with the families, friends and Fans who were affected by the accident. FIFA and UEFA made themselves known. Prince William, the President of the English football Association, FA, wrote, the 61-year-old Srivaddhanaprabha have given the football a lot, “not least by Leicester City’s magical season in 2016.”

winning The English championship in 2016 will always be with the billionaire. With its multi-million dollar investment, he had paved the way for the sporting success of the club, he had taken over six years prior to winning the title in the Second League. He dismissed most coach Claudio Ranieri is not even a year after the Triumph, took him to the Leicester Fans not long bad. To Srivaddhanaprabhas birthday and at Christmas time there were in the stadium for free beer and cake for the Fans. It was well received.

About the private life of the entrepreneur, according to BBC information, with assets equivalent to more than three billion euros, the fourth-richest man in Thailand, little is known. Interviews the founder of Duty Free chain King Power itself was not in connection with football. Was known, however, that he enjoyed his life as a billionaire to the fullest. This also meant that he was sitting his living in London and Berkshire by helicopter to the home of Leicester City fly.

Why ended his last flight fatal, was also not clarified on Monday, first clearly. Eye-witnesses had previously reported, the tail rotor got hammered. As a result, the helicopter is out of control. The police in Leicester were so far no further information and asked not to speculate about the causes of the accident, as long as the investigations are still in progress.

Open letter from Kasper Schmeichel

Tweet of the Prime Minister, Theresa May

Tweet Prince William

BBC-report

Leicester Mercury report

condolences from Infantino in the FIFA Tweet

BBC-report on Srivaddhanaprabha