Scotland mourns helicopter crash victims, search for bodies continues at Glasgow pub

SCOTTISH rescuers continued the search for bodies inside the wreckage of a Glasgow pub on Sunday as the nation said prayers for the eight killed in a freak police helicopter accident.

Fourteen people remained in hospital with serious injuries after the helicopter came crashing through the roof of The Clutha, a popular live music bar in Scotland's biggest city.

Well over 100 people were watching a local ska band play on a busy Friday night in the city centre pub by the River Clyde when the unexplained disaster struck.

A memorial service was held at Glasgow Cathedral on what was supposed to be a weekend of festivities for Saint Andrew's Day, Scotland's patron saint.

"We will pause to mark those who have been injured, those who have lost their lives and all of the members of the public and emergency services who have worked so tirelessly, and continue to assist in the rescue operation," the Church of Scotland cathedral said.

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was among those attending the service, along with ambulance workers in uniform.

Other churches across the country remembered the dead in their services.

Deputy First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon (2R) and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill (R) attend a service at Glasgow Cathedral in memory of the eight people who lost their lives when a police helicopter crashed into The Clutha bar in Glasgow, Scotland.

Three people on board the helicopter - two officers and a civilian pilot - and five people in the bar are so far known to have been killed.

The first victim whose body was recovered from the scene was named as Gary Arthur, 48, from the Paisley area of Glasgow, whose daughter Chloe plays football for Scotland and Celtic under-19s.

"RIP dad. you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart," she tweeted.
A minute's silence will be held ahead of the Scottish Cup football match between hosts Hearts and league champions Celtic in Edinburgh.

While Arthur is the only victim officially identified, reports have also named helicopter pilot David Traill and police officer Kirsty Nelis as among the dead.

Fire and rescue officers worked through a second night to free the wreckage of the Eurocopter EC135.

A few dozen police officers were standing on duty at the site, while more than 30 bunches of flowers were lined up against a nearby wall.

Rescue workers remove part of the wreckage from The Clutha bar, which the police helicopter crashed into.

In the crisp morning daylight, two cranes could be seen at the site, one with its arm buried in the building.

Men in hard hats and high-visibility jackets were standing on the remains of the roof.

The BBC said straps had been attached to the helicopter ahead of an attempt to lift it clear.

The emergency teams want to ensure that everyone who might have been trapped inside is located, and recover as much of the helicopter as possible to work out what happened.

Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch has sent a team to the scene.

Newspapers speculated as to what might have triggered the accident, from a loss of power or fuel, to an attempted emergency landing on the one-storey bar's flat roof.

A police officer lays flowers near the scene where a police helicopter crashed into a pub in Glasgow, Scotland.

Police appealed for anyone with video footage of the incident to send it to them, saying it "may be of help to the team as they investigate the cause of the crash".

People inside said they heard a heavy thud before the roof caved in and the air filled with dust and screams. Most were not aware until later that a helicopter had crashed on to the building.

Afterwards pubgoers and passers-by formed a "human chain" to help the wounded in the minutes before the emergency services arrived.

Thirty-two people were taken to hospital by ambulance, of whom 18 were later discharged.

The remaining 14 are suffering from "chest injuries, head injuries, long-bone fractures and lacerations", said Jennifer Armstrong, medical director of the Greater Glasgow Health Board.

Queen Elizabeth II said her prayers were with the victims, while British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond have offered their condolences.

Helicopter crashes into pub roof

Chopper 'dropped like a stone'

On Sunday, witnesses described confusion, terror and then bravery after the accident.

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub at the time of the crash, told the BBC that the revellers were listening to a ska band.

"We were all just having a nice time and then there was like a 'whoosh' noise - there was no bang, there was no explosion," she said.

"And then there was some smoke, what seemed like smoke. The band were laughing and we were all joking that the band had made the roof come down.

"They 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."

The nine-piece band, Esperanza, said on their Facebook page that they were all well.

"Despite the situation everyone was so helpful and caring of each other. The police, ambulances, firefighters all did a stellar job," they said.

Britain's former Europe minister Jim Murphy told the BBC he was driving through the area shortly after the incident.

"I jumped out and tried to help. There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious. I don't know how many," he said, his shirt bloodied.

Mr Murphy, who is the opposition Labour Party's international development spokesman, said he and others formed a human chain to get survivors out of the bar.

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

Gordon Smart, who edits the Scottish edition of The Sun newspaper, said he saw the helicopter coming down.

"It looked like it was dropping from a great height at a great speed," he told Sky News television.

"There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion. It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering."