Eight confirmed dead including helicopter crew in Glasgow pub crash

1 December 2013

Eight people are confirmed dead after a helicopter crashed into the Clutha Bar pub in Glasgow city centre last night, Police Scotland said this afternoon. The three in the helicopter - two police officers and a civilian pilot - are among the dead.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said at a press conference this afternoon: "Our thoughts and condolences are very much with the families of those who have died and those who have been injured in this tragic incident.

"We are working alongside our emergency services colleagues in the ongoing rescue operation. I would like to take this opportunity to praise the people of Glasgow who helped in the very early stages following the incident and commend their courage.

"We are dealing with a very sensitive and complex operation and we expect that emergency services will be at the scene for some time. We would thank the public for their co-operation as our officers and other emergency service colleagues continue this difficult task."

Fourteen people remain in Glasgow hospitals, he said.

The pub, which is a renowned live music venue, had been packed with people enjoying a Friday night out listening to a gig by the ska band Esperanza.

The injured were taken to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Western Infirmary.

Witnesses described how the helicopter dropped out of the sky and on to the roof of the pub in Stockwell Street "like a stone".

The aircraft involved was a Eurocopter EC135 T2.

A full probe involving the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the emergency services is under way.

The search and rescue operation involves 125 firefighters including crews trained in shoring up unstable buildings, excavating collapsed structures and seeking and identifying casualties using specialist equipment.

Labour's international development spokesman, Scottish MP Jim Murphy, was one of the first on the scene. He described how he saw people "clambering out" of the bar as he was driving past and jumped out to help.

He said: "There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious. I don't know how many.

"The helicopter was inside the pub. It's a mess. I could only get a yard or two inside. I helped carry people out."

Mr Murphy told Sky News that people formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out".

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub, told BBC News: "They [the band] carried on playing and then it started to come down more and someone started screaming and then the whole pub just filled with dust. You couldn't see anything, you couldn't breathe.

"People started coming out with injuries and blood and everyone was going over and trying to help out.

"I don't think it crashed, if it had crashed there would have been fire, there would have been a noise, but we didn't hear anything, it was the smoke that we noticed.

"I think maybe whoever was in the helicopter just tried to land on the roof or something."

The First Minister said the Scottish Government's resilience operation has been mobilised.

"Our thoughts are with everyone involved with the incident in Glasgow," he said.

"However given an incident of this scale we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities."

One image of the crash showed the dark blue helicopter on the roof with yellow police insignia on part of the wreckage.

Helicopter operator Bond Air Services said it was working with Police Scotland.

A large section of the city centre was cordoned off with all roads leading to the junction of Clyde Street, Stockwell Street, Bridgegate and the Victoria Bridge closed.

Police have set up a telephone number for members of the public who are concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash. It is 0800 092 0410.

Retired firefighter Edward Waltham ran into the pub to help with the rescue effort and described how he pulled casualties out of the building.

"I helped grab a couple of people. One gentleman in particular who was completely covered in dust, who had very shallow breathing and appeared to be quite badly injured." he told BBC News.

"My initial reaction for him from my experience was to try not to move him because he had been in a crush situation.

"But as we were lying there other people were literally being pulled out of the pub and more or less thrown on top of us."

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Eight confirmed dead including helicopter crew in Glasgow pub crash

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