Supporters marched in their thousands on the way to the club’s first home game since the death of their owner.
Leicester City fans and players marked the club’s first home game since the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha with a march from the city centre to the King Power stadium.
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Supporters marched in their thousands on the way to the club’s first home game since the death of their owner.
Lee Chapman, a Leicester fan and Jamie Vardy lookalike, was one of those promoting the march, which was organised by Jake Boyle, James Bone, Glenn Murphy, Craig Elliot, Glenn Murphy, Diane Barlow and Gary Jaques.
And it wasn’t just Leicester fans on the walk – from all over the country, and even overseas, fans joined to pay tribute to Srivaddhanaprabha, Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz who all lost their lives in the accident.
Meanwhile Jamie Barnes, 28, a lifelong Leicester fan, said the atmosphere was nervy to begin with, but developed into a celebration of Srivaddhanaprabha’s life and contribution to the club and city.
“There were a few people up on the balcony of a hotel who started singing, everyone joined in and it seemed to settle a few nerves. It felt good to sing loud and proud.
Led by Harry Maguire, James Maddison, Andy King and Hamza Choudhury, thousands of fans attended the 5000-1 march, named after the odds of the Foxes winning the Premier League in 2016.
Leicester played out a 0-0 draw against Burnley after the march, but the game faded into the background on an extraordinary day of tributes.
(Online photo)
Lee Chapman, a Leicester fan and Jamie Vardy lookalike, was one of those promoting the march, which was organised by Jake Boyle, James Bone, Glenn Murphy, Craig Elliot, Glenn Murphy, Diane Barlow and Gary Jaques.
He told the Press Association that the support from people who weren’t even attending the game was overwhelming.
“The atmosphere was absolutely amazing,” Chapman said. “It’s just overwhelming support, including the fans that travelled here that didn’t even have tickets to the game, they travelled here just to celebrate this man that changed not just the club but the city as well.
“He donated money to charities, to hospitals, and that hit me hard as well, because my son’s been poorly. I’ve been in the hospital recently and I’ve seen the Foxes Foundation plastered all over the wall because of Vichai.”
(Joe Giddens/PA)
And it wasn’t just Leicester fans on the walk – from all over the country, and even overseas, fans joined to pay tribute to Srivaddhanaprabha, Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz who all lost their lives in the accident.
“The away fans were absolutely brilliant,” said Chapman. “It wasn’t just Burnley fans here, there were Charlton fans, Southampton fans, Liverpool fans, fans from Cardiff I think.
“I even met a fan from Porto today, because of the Champions League when they came over here.”
Another Leicester fan, who had suffered a bereavement of his own, told the Press Association that being on the march “felt like I was with family”.
Meanwhile Jamie Barnes, 28, a lifelong Leicester fan, said the atmosphere was nervy to begin with, but developed into a celebration of Srivaddhanaprabha’s life and contribution to the club and city.
“For a start, it all felt quite nervy, not really knowing what to do or how to act, but keen to show my respect,” said Barnes.
(Online photo)
“There were a few people up on the balcony of a hotel who started singing, everyone joined in and it seemed to settle a few nerves. It felt good to sing loud and proud.
“When we got walking the mood was good. I shook hands with a Nottingham Forest fan who joined the walk wearing his colours, as well as a Manchester United fan.
“It was an atmosphere I’d never really experienced before. Everyone was so full of life and so proud to be a part of what was taking place.”
(Online photo)
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Search crews on Friday recovered the bodies of two backcountry skiers who were swept away and buried by an avalanche in the mountains outside Salt Lake City a day earlier, officials said.
The men — 23-year-old Andrew Cameron of Utah and 32-year-old Austin Mallet of Montana — were killed in the snowslide Thursday morning in the area of Lone Peak in the Wasatch Range southeast of the city. Officials declined to release their hometowns.
Search teams uncovered the men's bodies Friday morning, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera said. The bodies were brought off the mountain via helicopter and taken to the medical examiner's office, Sgt. Aymee Race with the Unified Police Salt Lake City said.
Storms on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday brought up to 3 feet (1 meter) of heavy, wet snow and strong winds to the area.
“And that instantly ramped up the avalanche danger,” said Craig Gordon, an avalanche forecaster with the U.S. Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center.
“The other factor that complicated weather and snow conditions is that it’s spring and weather patterns and weather systems can change very quickly in the mountains,” he said. A day could start off sunny and clear before giving way to clouds or snow or strong winds.
“And all of these factors can influence the dynamic nature of the snowpack and can escalate the avalanche danger," Gordon said Friday.
The three men were climbing up a ridge on a slope called Big Willow Aprons and were near the top when the slide was unintentionally triggered, the avalanche center said in its preliminary report.
The first climber was carried downhill on the right side of the ridge and partially buried. He was able to dig himself out, call for help and was rescued by midday Thursday. Race said they would not be releasing his name.
Cameron and Mallet were swept away on the left side of the ridge and buried, the center said. Weather and snow conditions prevented their recovery on Thursday.
“We know that’s hard on the families when you have to leave somebody up there,” said Alan Bergstrom, one of eight rescuers who recovered the bodies.
Family members of the two victims were at the search staging area near Sandy on Thursday and Friday, Rivera said.
“There are situations such as today where we may know the people that are on the mountain," making the recovery effort difficult for searchers as well, said Bergstrom, a squad leader with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team.
Crews "were able to dig pretty quickly and get ’em out and get back on the helicopters,” Bergstrom said. “But as we were finishing up, the winds were picking up and the helicopter was starting to have a little bit of trouble judging the landing spot.”
The three men, who were friends, didn't plan to ski down the face where the avalanche occurred, but they planned to ski in several other locations on Thursday, Gordon said.
The snow broke about 2 feet (61 centimeters) deep and 250 feet (76 meter) across and slid down about 500 feet (152 meters), the avalanche center said.
The area where the avalanche occurred, Lone Peak, is one of the highest peaks in the Wasatch Range towering over Utah’s capital city. Its steep, rugged terrain makes it a popular destination for advanced backcountry skiers, while experienced climbers scale its sheer granite walls in the warmer months.
“This is very serious terrain. It’s steep. It’s north-facing. The crew that was up there would have to be experienced,” Gordon said Thursday.
Rivera confirmed the men were experienced skiers.
The fatalities bring this winter’s tally of avalanche deaths in the U.S. to 15, according to the Utah Avalanche Information Center. An average of 30 people die in avalanches each year in the U.S.
Hanson reported from Helena, Montana.
In this image provided by Wasatch Backcountry Rescue and taken from a helicopter shows an avalanche that broke away on either side of a ridge on a slope called Big Willow Aprons in the Wasatch Mountains southwest of Salt Lake City, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Three men were climbing up the ridge when the slide was triggered accidentally. One man was partially buried and was rescued. Two men were killed. Their bodies were recovered early Friday, May 10. (Greg Miller/Wasatch Backcountry Rescue via AP)
Recovery efforts continue as a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter lands in a staging area Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday, May 9, 2024, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter carries recovery crews from a staging area, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday, May 9, 2024, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Recovery teams look on as a helicopter lands in a staging area while recovery efforts continue for two skiers who died in backcountry avalanche Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche on Thursday, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
The Wasatch Mountains are seen from a recovery staging area Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday, May 9, 2024, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
A Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter carries recovery crews from a staging area Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Recovery teams look on as a helicopter lands in a staging area while recovery efforts continue for two skiers who died in backcountry avalanche Friday, May 10, 2024, in Sandy, Utah. Two backcountry skiers were killed and one was rescued after an avalanche Thursday, in the mountains outside of Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
