At least three feared dead after police helicopter crashes into Glasgow pub

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

At least three people were feared dead after a police helicopter crashed on to the roof of a busy pub in the city centre of Glasgow as it was hosting a live music event.

A band was playing inside the Clutha Vaults bar when the aircraft hit the building just before 10.30pm, causing multiple injuries as dust and debris was thrown across the venue. The police helicopter was reported to be carrying two police officers and a civilian when the accident happened. Eyewitnesses described multiple injures at the scene.

Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, said that "we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities".

He tweeted: "I can confirm that it is a police helicopter which has been involved in the tragic accident in Glasgow. Rescue efforts in full operation. Given an incident of this scale we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities."

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/29/helicopter-crashes-roof-glasgow-pub

[nomorenomore08]

1. Holy shit! Scotland is only my ancestral homeland but this still hits pretty hard...

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. At least 6 now feared dead (1 confirmed) and over 30 injured

Glasgow helicopter crash: six feared dead and people still trapped

One person confirmed dead but toll expected to rise, as rescuers work to get to those still trapped inside the Glasgow pub

A number of people have been confirmed dead and 32 have been admitted to hospital after a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow city centre late last night.

Firefighters who have been working through the night say they have made contact with survivors still trapped inside the pub after the Eurocopter EC135 crashed on to its roof.

Eyewitnesses described the helicopter crashing down onto the roof of the Clutha Vaults bar, where more than 100 people were listening to a band perform, after its rotor blades stopped turning and said the engine appeared to back-fire.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10485601/Glasgow-helicopter-crash-six-feared-dead-and-people-still-trapped.html

[truthisfreedom]

3. Has to be a first! So tragic!

I had no idea helicopter engines could backfire.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. I'm not sure what that 'backfire' means

That's just what a member of the public described it being like.

[awoke_in_2003]

6. Sounds like a flame out...

Which is exactly what it sounds like- the flame goes out. Jet engines don't like that. You will never get me in a copter, at least if this happens in a plane you have a chance to glide. We have helicopter sims at work, and the do practice autorotations, but that is more or less to make the pilots feel better. Helicopters are death traps.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. Yep. My boyfriend's old timer pilot step-dad yelled at him for taking....

... a helicopter tour of The Grand Canyon.

He was an old commercial pilot, flight instructor, charter operator, airplane dealer and FBO operator who flew anything with wings.

He said stay out of those things.

He even owned a chopper for a while after he took it in on trade. Taught himself how to fly it. But never trusted them or liked them.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Glasgow helicopter crash: Eight dead at Clutha pub

Eight people are now confirmed to have died after a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow city centre.

Three people inside the helicopter and five people inside The Clutha were killed after the Police Scotland aircraft came down at 22:30 on Friday.

A further 14 people are being treated for "very serious injuries" in hospitals across the city.
...
It is thought about 120 people were in the pub at the time of the crash. Many were rescued or escaped but others were trapped by a collapse on the left-hand side of the building.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25165894