Body-cam and dash-cam footage showed two police officers desperately trying to break the cockpit windscreen to rescue the five victims of the Leicester City helicopter crash
A hero police officer broke down in tears as he recalled trying to save the stricken victims of the Leicester City helicopter crash.
Club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, was killed alongside pilots Eric Swaffer, 53, and Izabela Roza Lechowicz, 46, in October 2018. The Thai billionaire tycoon’s personal butler Kaveporn Punpare, 33, and assistant Nusara Suknamai, 32, also died in the tragedy.
They were killed when the helicopter spun out of control and burst into flames between two car parks at the King Power Stadium. It had taken off seconds earlier to take Mr Srivaddhanaprabha and his staff to London after the match against West Ham.
Inquests into the five deaths began in Leicester on Monday – more than six years after the tragedy.
Leicestershire Police officer PC Stephen Quartermain told on Tuesday how he saw three victims still alive in the rear of the chopper. He said pilot Mr Swaffer, who flew with Prince William, also survived the initial crash and begged for help.
PC Quartermain and colleague Sgt Mike Hooper tried to rescue the former EasyJet pilot from the stricken aircraft. They had been in a patrol car when the chopper plunged from the sky metres away from them.
Body-cam and dash-cam footage showed them desperately trying to break the cockpit windscreen to rescue the victims. But the hearing at Leicester City Hall was told the glass was designed to withstand an 180mph bird strike and could not be smashed.
PC Quartermain told the hearing: “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 three people in the 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. I don’t know if he was unconscious.
“The only place I could have got in was through the windscreen. Flames started 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 and started to strike the windscreen with a 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 the 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 he was getting a fire extinguisher from the boot of the officers’ patrol car upon arriving on the scene when PC Quartermain shouted to him that Mr Swaffer appeared to still be alive.
He said: “I have run forward to assess the helicopter. I was within touching distance of it. I have looked round the front and seen the pilot inside. He was sat in what would have been the right-hand seat. He was leaning down into space above the ground.
“There was some slow movement from him. I would say possibly because he was dazed. I looked at the helicopter and the only route in I could see was through the windscreen.
“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.
“It was incredibly hot at that point. The heat was unbearable. The aircraft was popping and banging. I did not know how long it was going to be before it completely went up.
“As I looked into the aircraft I saw the fire between the front seat and the rear. I wanted to buy the pilot some time so went to get the fire extinguisher.
“The fire had progressed further forward. It was higher and I recall flames coming over the right hand side of helicopter. I am not sure what this (the extinguisher) is going to do, but I can see the pilot is still alive at this point.
“Unfortunately, I could hear pilot, whether he had come out of his initial dazed state I don’t know, saying ‘Get me out of here, help me’.”
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.
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report published in September 2023 said a tail rotor system failure was to blame for the crash. Last week Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s family launched a £2.15billion legal claim against the makers of the helicopter.
In the largest fatal accident claim in UK legal history, they allege Italian company Leonardo S.p.A is liable for his death. His family is seeking compensation for loss of earnings, the pain he experienced before he died, and funeral expenses.
