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| Police killed in Glasgow helicopter crash had won bravery commendations | Police killed in Glasgow helicopter crash had won bravery commendations |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The two police officers killed in the Glasgow helicopter disaster had won commendations for bravery on duty, Scotland's chief constable has disclosed, as graphic details emerged of the final moments before the crash. | |
| As accident investigators began slowly extracting pieces of the helicopter from the shattered roof of the Clutha bar using a mobile crane, Sir Stephen House, the chief constable of Scotland, named the two officers killed in Friday's tragedy as constables Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 41. | As accident investigators began slowly extracting pieces of the helicopter from the shattered roof of the Clutha bar using a mobile crane, Sir Stephen House, the chief constable of Scotland, named the two officers killed in Friday's tragedy as constables Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 41. |
| Another body was recovered early on Monday morning, bringing the number of confirmed dead to nine so far. When asked if more bodies might be recovered, he said: "We can't discount that possibility." | |
| Police also released the name of another fatality, Glasgow resident Samuel McGhee, 56. | |
| "Until the helicopter is completely removed from the scene and the right people are in the premises and are able to look through the rubble completely and start to clear it, we can't say anything about exact numbers," said House. | "Until the helicopter is completely removed from the scene and the right people are in the premises and are able to look through the rubble completely and start to clear it, we can't say anything about exact numbers," said House. |
| The names of the two police officers in the helicopter were released on Sunday with that of the pilot, Captain David Traill, on the day a witness told the Guardian he saw a "shower of sparks" fly out of the helicopter as if a firework had gone off. | |
| One aviation expert said the comments backed up the idea that the aircraft's crucial gearbox transmission had "shattered" in mid-air. | |
| Craig Russell, 52, said he had been returning home from the Barras, a famous covered market near the crash site in the city's east end, soon before 10.25pm on Friday when he saw the Eurocopter EC135 T2 flying far lower than expected. | Craig Russell, 52, said he had been returning home from the Barras, a famous covered market near the crash site in the city's east end, soon before 10.25pm on Friday when he saw the Eurocopter EC135 T2 flying far lower than expected. |
| It was making an odd noise as if the engine was misfiring, with the rotor blades sounding fine for several beats before an odd metallic grating noise could be heard, and that sequence of sounds continued, he said, as it flew. | It was making an odd noise as if the engine was misfiring, with the rotor blades sounding fine for several beats before an odd metallic grating noise could be heard, and that sequence of sounds continued, he said, as it flew. |
| As Russell walked through Glasgow Cross, he said, he saw the helicopter flying westwards over the Saltmarket main road and railway bridges that run parallel to it, only a few hundred metres east of the Clutha Vaults. | As Russell walked through Glasgow Cross, he said, he saw the helicopter flying westwards over the Saltmarket main road and railway bridges that run parallel to it, only a few hundred metres east of the Clutha Vaults. |
| He added that it then flew low over a railway bridge: "It was really low, as you looked up you could make out the silhouette as it passed and I said: 'Dear God, that's low, we could almost touch it'. It went over the arch at Osborne Street and then it was as if someone had fired a firework. There was a big flash of sparks." | He added that it then flew low over a railway bridge: "It was really low, as you looked up you could make out the silhouette as it passed and I said: 'Dear God, that's low, we could almost touch it'. It went over the arch at Osborne Street and then it was as if someone had fired a firework. There was a big flash of sparks." |
| Alarmed by what he had witnessed, Russell, a volunteer with the Barras Trust charity, which runs the market, said he ran towards the King Street car parks just north of the Clutha Vaults because he suspected the helicopter might have been trying to land there. | Alarmed by what he had witnessed, Russell, a volunteer with the Barras Trust charity, which runs the market, said he ran towards the King Street car parks just north of the Clutha Vaults because he suspected the helicopter might have been trying to land there. |
| Instead, he saw people outside a nearby pub deep in conversation as if nothing had happened. By then, he was unable to see or hear the aircraft, so, reassured, he assumed it had continued flying and went home to his flat nearby. | |
| About 30 minutes later, his sister phoned him to tell him a helicopter had crashed on to the Clutha's roof. | |
| An aviation consultant, Struan Johnston, of Caledonian Aviation, told the Guardian that Russell's testimony was consistent with the helicopter's gearbox transmission system breaking up. That was now one of the main theories about why the aircraft came down, he said. | |
| Johnston, who saw the crash site from outside the police cordon soon after first light on Saturday, explained: "I have heard one of the main suspicions was that the main transmission gearbox might have shattered. This would tie up with that." | Johnston, who saw the crash site from outside the police cordon soon after first light on Saturday, explained: "I have heard one of the main suspicions was that the main transmission gearbox might have shattered. This would tie up with that." |
| He said the Air Accident Investigation Branch would probably find Russell's evidence highly significant. Russell contacted Police Scotland on Sunday to offer a statement. | He said the Air Accident Investigation Branch would probably find Russell's evidence highly significant. Russell contacted Police Scotland on Sunday to offer a statement. |
| Johnston continued: "Gearboxes are probably the most key part of the helicopter because that is where the engine power gets transferred up to the rotors, so that's what would be driving the rotors around." | Johnston continued: "Gearboxes are probably the most key part of the helicopter because that is where the engine power gets transferred up to the rotors, so that's what would be driving the rotors around." |
| While rescue workers slowly secured the helicopter's tail boom with chains from a huge mobile crane brought on to the site before they attempted to lift it clear, political leaders including the deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, senior officers from the rescue services and families and friends of those involved in the disaster attended a memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral. | While rescue workers slowly secured the helicopter's tail boom with chains from a huge mobile crane brought on to the site before they attempted to lift it clear, political leaders including the deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, senior officers from the rescue services and families and friends of those involved in the disaster attended a memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral. |
| As eight children lit eight candles to honour the dead, the Rev Dr Laurence Whitley paid tribute to the members of the public who had risked their own safety to help rescue survivors and the emergency services still working there. | As eight children lit eight candles to honour the dead, the Rev Dr Laurence Whitley paid tribute to the members of the public who had risked their own safety to help rescue survivors and the emergency services still working there. |
| "We do not end this day in pain and loss," Whitley said. "We stand defiant, and in our great and vibrant and irrepressible city we stand hand in hand to go forward into the light." | "We do not end this day in pain and loss," Whitley said. "We stand defiant, and in our great and vibrant and irrepressible city we stand hand in hand to go forward into the light." |
| After the service, Pat Omara, head of control for the Scottish ambulance service, said the memorial had been particularly emotional for members of the emergency services. | |
| "Many of them have been running on adrenaline for days now, but I'd say morale remains good and that they are keen to get on with the job," he said. | |
| Glasgow city council also announced that it would give financial help to the families of the dead and to any survivors who were unable to work or struggling to make ends meet because of their injuries. | |
| George Mathieson, leader of the council, said: "Money will be very far from their thoughts, but Glasgow will not allow their suffering to be compounded by financial plight in their hour of need." | George Mathieson, leader of the council, said: "Money will be very far from their thoughts, but Glasgow will not allow their suffering to be compounded by financial plight in their hour of need." |
| The civilian pilot killed in the accident, Traill, was an experienced former RAF pilot from Bond Air Services who had been flying on contract with Strathclyde police, and then the new unified force, Police Scotland, for more than four years. | The civilian pilot killed in the accident, Traill, was an experienced former RAF pilot from Bond Air Services who had been flying on contract with Strathclyde police, and then the new unified force, Police Scotland, for more than four years. |
| House said: "He was very much part of our team." Traill, from Stenhousemuir, had previously spent 20 years flying RAF Chinook helicopters and had seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two police officers were members of Police Scotland's operational support division. | House said: "He was very much part of our team." Traill, from Stenhousemuir, had previously spent 20 years flying RAF Chinook helicopters and had seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two police officers were members of Police Scotland's operational support division. |
| "I would like to pay tribute to all of them, working to keep people safe across Scotland," the chief constable added. | "I would like to pay tribute to all of them, working to keep people safe across Scotland," the chief constable added. |
| House confirmed that 12 people were still in hospitals around Glasgow. Three of them were in a critical but stable condition. With others unaccounted for, two people have been named as missing, presumed to be in the bar: John McGarrigle, 59, a local poet, and Mark O'Prey, a window cleaner. | House confirmed that 12 people were still in hospitals around Glasgow. Three of them were in a critical but stable condition. With others unaccounted for, two people have been named as missing, presumed to be in the bar: John McGarrigle, 59, a local poet, and Mark O'Prey, a window cleaner. |
| The chief constable, looking strained and sombre, said the helicopter had been flying back to its base on the Clyde after an operation in the city, rather than being on patrol. "The helicopter was on an operation and it was returning to Glasgow," House said. He refused to elaborate. | The chief constable, looking strained and sombre, said the helicopter had been flying back to its base on the Clyde after an operation in the city, rather than being on patrol. "The helicopter was on an operation and it was returning to Glasgow," House said. He refused to elaborate. |
| It emerged that Nelis had received her bravery commendation after overpowering a man armed with a hammer while trapped in a lift with him. | It emerged that Nelis had received her bravery commendation after overpowering a man armed with a hammer while trapped in a lift with him. |
| On Facebook, her friends changed their profile pictures to a black square cut across by a thin blue line in remembrance. One, Andrina Romano, said: "For my beautiful friend Kirsty and all others involved. You will never be forgotten and I will miss you every day. Rip." | On Facebook, her friends changed their profile pictures to a black square cut across by a thin blue line in remembrance. One, Andrina Romano, said: "For my beautiful friend Kirsty and all others involved. You will never be forgotten and I will miss you every day. Rip." |
| On Saturday night, Police Scotland had formally confirmed the first name of a dead occupant in the bar, which had held about 120 people listening to a local ska band, Esperanza, as Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley. His daughter, Chloe Arthur, an under-19 footballer for Celtic and Scotland, paid tribute on Twitter, saying: "RIP dad. you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart." | On Saturday night, Police Scotland had formally confirmed the first name of a dead occupant in the bar, which had held about 120 people listening to a local ska band, Esperanza, as Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley. His daughter, Chloe Arthur, an under-19 footballer for Celtic and Scotland, paid tribute on Twitter, saying: "RIP dad. you'll always mean the world to me, I promise to do you proud, I love you with all my heart." |
| A post on the Facebook page of Traill's cousin, Heather Lawson, wrote: "RIP David Traill my lovely big cousin away far too soon xxx." | A post on the Facebook page of Traill's cousin, Heather Lawson, wrote: "RIP David Traill my lovely big cousin away far too soon xxx." |
| House said the recovery operation would be slow and methodical. "I have been down to the site," he said. "What people are doing down there, across all the services, is awe-inspiring; the way that they are going about it not just professionally but their concern and consideration for the scene that they are dealing with. | House said the recovery operation would be slow and methodical. "I have been down to the site," he said. "What people are doing down there, across all the services, is awe-inspiring; the way that they are going about it not just professionally but their concern and consideration for the scene that they are dealing with. |
| "And that will continue for as long as it takes. No one will put pressure on them in terms of time, but things are proceeding. We are making progress. It may appear that it's not going as fast as people want; the answer is that it's painstaking. It's important that everything there is treated with the courtesy and respect it deserves. | "And that will continue for as long as it takes. No one will put pressure on them in terms of time, but things are proceeding. We are making progress. It may appear that it's not going as fast as people want; the answer is that it's painstaking. It's important that everything there is treated with the courtesy and respect it deserves. |
| "Since the tragic incident on Friday night it has been a very difficult time for everyone involved in the operation." | "Since the tragic incident on Friday night it has been a very difficult time for everyone involved in the operation." |
| House added that many of his officers had been touched by the number of people who had spontaneously offered the police sympathy and support. | House added that many of his officers had been touched by the number of people who had spontaneously offered the police sympathy and support. |
| Meanwhile, Sturgeon, the MSP for nearby Glasgow Southside, visited Glasgow royal infirmary, where seven of the survivors were being treated. Two of those patients were "upset and traumatised", she said. "Both of them expressed concern for others and described themselves as being lucky to be alive," Sturgeon added. | Meanwhile, Sturgeon, the MSP for nearby Glasgow Southside, visited Glasgow royal infirmary, where seven of the survivors were being treated. Two of those patients were "upset and traumatised", she said. "Both of them expressed concern for others and described themselves as being lucky to be alive," Sturgeon added. |
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