Police helicopter crashes into pub in Glasgow

[webfact]

Police helicopter crash: 'Multiple injuries' at The Clutha pub in Glasgow

GLASGOW: -- A police helicopter has crashed into a pub on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow.

The crash happened at The Clutha in Stockwell Street at 22:25.

Police Scotland confirmed there were three people on board. It has been reported that about 120 people were in the pub at the time.

There are thought to have been multiple casualties but it is not known if anyone has died. It is understood some people are trapped inside the pub.

Eyewitnesses have reported seeing the helicopter "falling like a stone".

As he left the Accident and Emergency Department of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, a member of staff who did not want to be interviewed was asked how serious the injuries were. He replied with one word: "Very".

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Given an incident of this scale we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities".

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-25163045

-- BBC 2013-11-30

[mrdome]

Thirsty copta....

Speedy recovery to all!

[4u2mad]

This was an accident waiting to happen.

For the last 10-15 years there has been a steady increase in these excessively low flying helicopter patrols, no time for the blades to get any gyro rotation. Originally I believed that there was a minimum altitude requirement, sure I could hit one now with a bottle rocket! Seems like it isn't just Thai police who flaunt the laws? These patrols are 24/7, bloody noisy, and now we see how dangerous to the general public.

Surely just another gimmick to raise the police budget, and therefore council tax?

BTW, I have a house in Dorset, so not just an inner city phenomenon. About the biggest crime in the area is dog poop on the pavement!

My condolences and sympathy to all involved

[numnut65]

Mr Regyai obviously has a dislike for the scots if he finds that tragedy to be funny.Joking about something like that is just not on whatever your creed or colour.

[wooloomooloo]

Very sad and sure to be fatalities on the ground. Unfortunately, with helicopters, once the rotors stop they drop from the sky like a sack of spuds.

Amazing how it didn't burst into flames, which has undoubtedly kept fatalities to a minimum.

[ThaidDown]

BBC now reporting '3 dead'

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

[ignis]

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

now 3 died and 32 in Hospital

[NeverSure]

Sad. RIP.

[Bpuumike]

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

now 3 died and 32 in Hospital

I guess the pilot and the 2 police officers.

Best wishes to those in hospital.

There should be a very minimum height of 2,000ft for auto rotation but sounds like a catastrophic failure and too early to speculate.

A gearbox failure is always the first suspect but again, too early.

[Basil B]

BREAKING NEWS:

THE NUMBER OF DEAD FROM THE GLASGOW HELICOPTER CRASH HAS RISEN TO EIGHT, POLICE SCOTLAND HAVE SAID.

3 of the dead found inside the helicopter.

14 people still in hospital with serious injuries

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-25165057

[Sheryl]

An insensitive post has been removed.

[Lokie]

Latest is 8 confirmed dead - Civilian Pilot and two Police Observers and five people from within the bar; eyewitness said he was in the bar, it was busy with loud music playing then next minute the roof came in above the bar area...

RIP

[Chicog]

Shame they couldn't make it to the river, so close.

[phitsanulokjohn]

At 22.25 Old bill probably rushing to catch last orders.RIP to all concerned.

[transam]

At 22.25 Old bill probably rushing to catch last orders.RIP to all concerned.

We are all laughing. ..........................

[Basil B]

8 confirmed dead, 14 seriously injured.

It is still a Rescue & Recovery operation, from the early hours of Saturday morning there has been reports that they believed they had heard survivors in the wreckage but were unable locate them, though official reports have not mentioned this, in actual fact I feel they seemed to priorities’ screening off the area than conducting search and rescue operations.

One body removed and named so far:

Gary Arthur, from Paisley, was found dead inside the remains of The Clutha bar on the city's Stockwell Street on Saturday, the 48-year-old was the father of Chloe Arthur, a women's under-19 football player for Celtic and the national squad.

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/251065-gary-arthur-paisley-mans-body-recovered-from-the-clutha-after-crash/

Any lose of life is tragic for all concerned, but let’s get things in prospective, if this had been a couch comes off the motorway (8 fatalities many injured) would there have been so much media cover? Would Glasgow have canceled St Andrews day and flown flags at half mast?

[socksy01]

This was an accident waiting to happen.

For the last 10-15 years there has been a steady increase in these excessively low flying helicopter patrols, no time for the blades to get any gyro rotation. Originally I believed that there was a minimum altitude requirement, sure I could hit one now with a bottle rocket! Seems like it isn't just Thai police who flaunt the laws? These patrols are 24/7, bloody noisy, and now we see how dangerous to the general public.

Surely just another gimmick to raise the police budget, and therefore council tax?

BTW, I have a house in Dorset, so not just an inner city phenomenon. About the biggest crime in the area is dog poop on the pavement!

My condolences and sympathy to all involved

I think you'll find in London it is not 24/7 for Police Helicopters. I know as I only retired from the force there three years ago.

[Scott]

An offensive post and replies have been removed.

[Bpuumike]

Shame they couldn't make it to the river, so close.

If it goes then it goes big time and nothing to do.

Begs the question of why they weren't patrolling along the river anyway?

What were their objectives being where they were I have to ask.

I add my comments having managed to swim/walk away from 3 over the last 40 years.

[Chicog]

They removed the helicopter today, and now plan on going in to finish the retrieval process.

Sad to say the son of one missing victim was criticising them on national news for not lifting it sooner, and idiots on various news sites have been saying they could have dug their way in sooner, etc., forget the fact the building was wrecked and could fall at any minute.

I know he's probably very upset but I doubt they've been delaying for any other reason than the safety of the people who have to go in and retrieve any remaining victims.

He should really have a bit of sympathy and respect for them as well.

All very sad.

[Mosha]

While I was without internet for a few days. I spent rge time watching the tv. Ine thinh that caught my attention was no black box. Can anyone tell me why?

[Bpuumike]

They removed the helicopter today, and now plan on going in to finish the retrieval process.

Sad to say the son of one missing victim was criticising them on national news for not lifting it sooner, and idiots on various news sites have been saying they could have dug their way in sooner, etc., forget the fact the building was wrecked and could fall at any minute.

I know he's probably very upset but I doubt they've been delaying for any other reason than the safety of the people who have to go in and retrieve any remaining victims.

He should really have a bit of sympathy and respect for them as well.

All very sad.

Yep, someone has to go in, dig down under dangerous conditions and then be faced with the unpleasantless they find.

[Bpuumike]

While I was without internet for a few days. I spent rge time watching the tv. Ine thinh that caught my attention was no black box. Can anyone tell me why?

So far as I know, choppers, especially small non-commercial don't have them.

[Basil B]

Just to update:

The search and recovery operation at the site of the Glasgow helicopter crash has ended, with police confirming there were nine fatalities.

http://news.sky.com/story/1176481/glasgow-helicopter-crash-search-ends

The Helicopter was removed from from the pub on Monday and has now arrived at Farnbourgh for a thorough examination by the UK Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB).

Experts at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) will begin detailed work later on the police helicopter which crashed in Glasgow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-25209099

While I was without internet for a few days. I spent rge time watching the tv. Ine thinh that caught my attention was no black box. Can anyone tell me why?

there are no (Rules of the Air) that required a Helicopter of this size to carry Black Boxes, one data and one voice.

It is not just the size and weight of the recorders but also all the additional sensors that would be needed to pick up data for the data recorder, having said that with advancements of electronics I am sure it would now be very easy to manufacture a small voice recorder based on a Micro SD chip embedded in a small indestructible canister no bigger than a 35mm film canister wired to the internal communications system.

[Chicog]

Just to update:It is not just the size and weight of the recorders but also all the additional sensors that would be needed to pick up data for the data recorder, having said that with advancements of electronics I am sure it would now be very easy to manufacture a small voice recorder based on a Micro SD chip embedded in a small indestructible canister no bigger than a 35mm film canister wired to the internal communications system.

film-canister.jpg

Judging by the lack of a mayday call and the vertical position in which it crashed, I'm guessing the voice recorder would probably pick up little more than "Oh sh...............................!".

[Showbags]

Very sad and sure to be fatalities on the ground. Unfortunately, with helicopters, once the rotors stop they drop from the sky like a sack of spuds.

Amazing how it didn't burst into flames, which has undoubtedly kept fatalities to a minimum.

Please share your knowledge a little more please....have you ever dropped a sack of spuds from an aerial platform?

[Mosha]

Just to update:It is not just the size and weight of the recorders but also all the additional sensors that would be needed to pick up data for the data recorder, having said that with advancements of electronics I am sure it would now be very easy to manufacture a small voice recorder based on a Micro SD chip embedded in a small indestructible canister no bigger than a 35mm film canister wired to the internal communications system.

film-canister.jpg

Judging by the lack of a mayday call and the vertical position in which it crashed, I'm guessing the voice recorder would probably pick up little more than "Oh sh...............................!".

[/quote

Check it out and you will find those are the most common last 2 words on most CVR's (cockpit voice recorders)

But of course they are not the same as a 'black box' which records flight data details but most choppers don't carry due to size and weight limitations.

And the black box is orange anyway - go figure. Guess it's called black as everything else in mourning.

Wrong

The term black box entered the English language around 1945, which referred to the process of network synthesis from the transfer functions of black boxes. This system or method, which was described as black-box analysis by others, is traced to Wilhelm Cauer who published his ideas in their most developed form in 1941. A black box is a system which is viewed in terms of its output, input and transfer characteristics and without any knowledge of its internal workings, which is black

[Chicog]

Hmmm the AAIB have just said there is no evidence of Helicopter engine failure.

[jpinx]

Hmmm the AAIB have just said there is no evidence of Helicopter engine failure.

Any link to that ? I'd be interested to know if the engines were actually running at the time of impact. Easy to tell when you look for ingestion of debris.

[Chicog]

It's breaking news on Sky. Just repeated and added no problem with Engine or Gearbox.

I'll post a link when it comes up.