Leicester: Four helicopter crash victims ‘died from smoke inhalation’

He said all of them suffered lower spinal fractures from the helicopter’s impact with the ground.

Dr Biggs concluded the medical cause of Ms Lechowicz’s death was head and chest injuries from the collision with the ground.

The medical cause of deaths of the other four victims was given as inhalation of products of combustion.

He said toxicology reports showed a low level of carbon monoxide in their blood, which suggested they would have succumbed “quite rapidly” to the smoke.

He added that it was entirely possible, indeed likely, that had it not have been for the fire, the injuries sustained by those four would have been survivable.

A statement from Mr Vichai’s son Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, known as Khun Top, was read out to the jury on Wednesday.

The statement set out a timeline of the helicopter’s purchase, for €7.5m (£6.3m), and explained how the helicopter was used to transport Khun Vichai to Leicester City matches and transported monks, guests, sponsors and first team players at times.

The statement named Sloane Helicopters as the company responsible for the aircraft’s maintenance from February 2017.

Director of the company Jeremy Awenat gave evidence on Wednesday, explaining to the jury that the helicopter received two annual inspections and regular visual inspections from Sloane engineers.

Mr Awenat said that, with the aircraft in the early stages of its life, the crash came as “a great shock” to both Sloane Helicopters and the wider industry.

He added that no issues had been raised with that particular helicopter from engineers or its pilot.