Pilots Concerned Over Helicopter Safety

Helicopter Crashes Into Glasgow Pub

Updated: 3:40pm UK, Saturday 30 November 2013

Police have warned that the number of people killed when a police helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub will rise in the "coming hours" after confirming one death.

The Chief Constable of Police Scotland said they were now dealing with a "search and recovery operation" after rescue teams worked through the night to try to pull people from the wreckage of The Clutha Vaults pub. 

But he said they were still hoping to find survivors alive in the remains of the building.

According to Sky News sources at least six people died when the helicopter crashed through the roof of the lively city nightspot, which was packed with more than 100 people watching a band, at 10.25pm on Friday.

Eyewitnesses have described the helicopter "falling like a stone" on to the roof, while some have suggested that there was a problem with the aircraft's rotor.

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub when the helicopter struck, told Sky News: "Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is."

William Byrne, who was listening to the band with his brother, said: "There was a huge bang and there was a couple of seconds of almost stillness after this band and then the whole other side of the pub from where I was collapsed and then the roof and gantry of the bar collapsed."

Footage showed confusion outside the pub in the moments after the helicopter hit the roof and those inside the building told how it was 15 minutes before they knew what had happened.

People at the scene told how they worked to form a human chain to carry unconscious people out of the pub.

Among the helpers was Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy, who told Sky News: "I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub. It is a horrible, horrible scene."

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday morning, Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: "Sadly at this time I can confirm one fatality. We expect that number to increase over the coming hours."

He confirmed that a further 32 people had been taken to Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Western Infirmary with "multiple injuries".

Sir Stephen said that specialist teams were working to stabilise the building in a "difficult and sensitive" operation and said:  "We're still in a search and recovery phase, and as always our prayers are that it is successful and we do recover people alive."

He said: "There are people on the scene trying to make contact with anyone who may be alive... All we can do is confirm there has been one fatality but we are fearful there will be more."

Rescue teams had said they had contacted people inside the pub overnight but Sir Stephen could not say when the last contact had been made.

One worried relative at the scene of the crash, Alice Healy, told Sky News how she had not heard from her cousin who had been inside the pub when the aircraft hit.

Another, John McGarrigle, 38, said that he had been told by someone inside the pub that his 59-year-old father, also called John, had been sitting at precisely the spot the aircraft had come down and that he had been killed but that authorities had not been able to confirm this.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is a black day for Glasgow and Scotland but it's also St Andrew's Day and it's a day we can take pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy."

He praised the "instinctive bravery of ordinary Glaswegians" who went to the rescue of those trapped inside the pub and the emergency services.

The police have given no details of what has happened to the crew of two officers and a civilian pilot on board the helicopter.

It is still unclear what caused the crash, with one eyewitness saying the aircraft "dropped like a stone" and police have now launched a full investigation into the crash under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. 

Investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) were on the scene on Saturday morning trying to piece together what had happened.

Aviation expert David Learmount, a pilot and safety editor at the aviation news website Flightglobal, told Sky News: "This type of helicopter is sophisticated and robust. It's a very modern aircraft. I think what has happened here is that you have had an aircraft that became either uncontrollable or partially controllable.

"We just don't know how much control the pilot did have in the final seconds of the flight. Something dramatic has probably suddenly occurred - probably some mechanical failure of some kind."

The British Airline Pilots' Association said that the crash did raise concerns over helicopter safety.

A tent had been erected on top of the pub on Saturday morning over the wreckage of the aircraft, whose rotor could be seen protruding from the roof.

The helicopter, a EC135 T2, which is widely used by the police, has a good safety record, with one incident in 2007 after which the AAIB asked manufacturers Eurocopter to look at a stability system switch.

Members of Esperanza, the band playing at the time of the tragedy, all escaped from the wreckage unharmed.

They posted on their Facebook site: "Despite the situation everyone was so helpful and caring of each other. The police, ambulances (and) firefighters all did a stellar job and continue to do so today in extremely difficult conditions.

"Our biggest concern is that everyone is found and can get the care and help they need."

In a statement, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This is a tragic event and our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends who lost a loved one last night.

"I want to thank the emergency services who worked tirelessly throughout the night and I also want pay tribute to the bravery of the ordinary Glaswegians who rushed to help.

"We have offered the Scottish Government our support in any way we can and we are all wishing a speedy recovery to those who are injured."

Labour leader Ed Miliband told Sky News: "There will be lots of people worried about their loved ones who are unaccounted for, and my thoughts are with them, and also with the people of Glasgow, who are an incredibly strong people, who showed last night in reaction when the helicopter hit, great bravery, great courage, great calm, in the midst of all this."

A number of St Andrew's Day events were being cancelled on Saturday morning as the tragic toll of Friday night's crash started to become apparent.

Flags across Scotland were flying at half mast throughout the weekend and the Scottish Football Association said there would be a minute's silence at the 13 Scottish Cup games on Saturday.

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.

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Identity Of Man Found Dead In Well Revealed

A man whose bound body was found in a well in Surrey has been identified by police as Damian Chlywka, a 30-year-old Polish national.

Workmen discovered Mr Chlywka's body in the well outside an address in Audley Drive in Warlingham on November 15.

A team of specialist officers, including Metropolitan Police divers, found Mr Chlywka's body showed injuries "consistent with an assault".

He had been tied up and it is thought he had been there for around two years.

Further tests are being carried out as a post-mortem held on November 17 did not provide a cause of death.

A 41-year-old man and a 33-year-old man were arrested on Friday on suspicion of murder and taken into custody at south London police stations.

The pair were later bailed until the middle of January.

Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons, the officer leading the investigation, said: "Damian had lived at various addresses across London including two known to be in the Croydon area. At one point he had lived at 11A Audley Road.

"Our focus now is to build up a fuller picture of Damian's life in the UK.

"We have given the difficult and heartbreaking news to his family who are distraught that this has happened to their loved one.

"I am appealing to anyone who knew or previously worked with him to contact the police and help us to piece together a picture of Damian's life and how it came to end in these distressing circumstances."

Police initially arrested seven men, aged between 21 and 27, on suspicion of murder.

They were subsequently released on bail until a date in late December.

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Ministers To Fund £300m Energy Bill Rebates

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Ministers are to fund a £300m plan for a £12 rebate on every domestic electricity bill in the country as part of a Government effort to combat a round of inflation-busting energy price hikes.

Sky News has learnt that the Government is finalising plans this weekend for a series of measures ahead of next week's autumn statement by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

The debate over energy costs has intensified in recent days as ministers have sought ways to regain the political initiative following the Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to impose an energy price freeze for 20 months if Labour wins the next general election.

Five of the 'Big Six' energy companies, including Centrica, the owner of British Gas, and Npower, have announced plans for substantial price increases in the last six weeks. The hikes have sparked a furious row in Westminster and the City about the industry's profitability.

Insiders said on Saturday that the Government package would include an agreement between the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and a group of companies known as distribution network operators, whose charges account for approximately 20% of consumers' energy bills.

The deal between ministers and these companies, which include National Grid, would involve restructuring their cost-profile over the 15-year period during which they have set out their investment plans.

This measure is expected to lead to an average of £5 off customers' bills, although the precise amount will vary by region, with some parts of the country not seeing any such saving, a source said.

Details of the package of measures could be announced as early as Sunday following intense Whitehall horse-trading over what has become one of the Government's most pressing domestic challenges.

The £300m rebate will be funded by altering the funding of the Warm Home Discount, which funds one-off electricity discounts for thousands of vulnerable customers. This is expected to be transferred to general taxation rather than being funded by the energy companies.

A Whitehall source said the £12-per-account rebate would require licence changes to be overseen by Ofgem, the energy regulator, but that this was unlikely to prove a significant obstacle.

DECC is understood to be keen for the £12 rebate to be clearly marked on consumers' bills and is extracting assurances from the big energy suppliers that they will agree to this.

The largest cut to energy bills is expected to be generated by a roughly £40-per-household saving on a green levy called the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO), which was introduced only this year.

The cost of the ECO, which costs the major suppliers about £1.3bn annually, is to be lowered by lengthening a programme of providing home insulation to 2017.

According to a letter from the Government to energy companies cited in reports this weekend, ministers want to introduce legislation to implement the changes.

"The government intends to make changes to the ECO order with a view to extending the period over which the obligation will run and reducing the expected cost of compliance. The government will consult on detailed proposals shortly and will subsequently look to introduce the necessary legislation as soon as possible," the letter said.

"The changes include extending ECO beyond its current March 2015 deadline. The government's specific proposal in this respect is that a new binding target should be set for March 2017."

David Cameron and Nick Clegg are understood to have been discussing the publication of a joint article in a Sunday newspaper to announce the moves, although it is unclear whether that plan will go ahead.

Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, has informed the energy industry of the full package of proposals in recent days although sources insisted that they were not yet finalised.

The Big Six are expected to announce price cuts or reductions to their planned price increases as soon as the Government's proposals are unveiled.

The overhaul of the ECO will represent something of a u-turn by the Government. The levy places legal obligations on the larger energy suppliers to deliver energy-efficiency measures to domestic energy customers.

It operates alongside the Green Deal and is designed to help people make energy efficiency improvements to buildings by allowing them to pay the costs through their energy bills rather than up-front.

On Friday, Downing Street denied a report that it was pressing the Big Six to agree to freeze prices until after the next election, underlining Mr Cameron's sensitivity about Labour's recent eye-catching policies.

In a statement, Jonathan Reynolds MP, the Shadow Energy and Climate Change Minister, said:

"The Energy Company Obligation is David Cameron's scheme. He only introduced it this year and a few months ago he was even boasting that it was bigger than previous energy efficiency schemes.

"Labour has consistently said that ECO should be reformed to make it better value for money and targeted at those in fuel poverty. But what the public really needs is a Labour government implementing a price freeze until 2017 and resetting the energy market so that it works for the long term."

A Downing Street spokeswoman declined to comment while the Treasury could not be reached on Saturday.

A DECC spokeswoman said: "Government is looking closely at the impact of green levies on consumer bills and how the measures they support are paid for. Details of this review will be announced by the autumn statement."

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Badger Cull Ends Early After Missing Target

The Government's badger cull being piloted in Gloucestershire has ended three weeks early after failing to meet its target.

The scheme designed to stop the spread of tuberculosis in cattle fell well short of its aim of killing 70% of badgers in the pilot areas.

Shooting had been extended for eight weeks in Gloucestershire after marksmen exterminated only around 30% of the local badger population.

Natural England said it had pulled the plug early as the cull was set to miss a revised level of 58%.

Farming minister George Eustice says lessons will be learned from the cull

An extension to a trial in Somerset also failed to meet its target. Another 90 were killed there in the extra time, taking the total to 940 - an overall reduction of only 65%.

Natural England said the licence for the cull had been ended "based on the decreasing number of badgers seen by contractors over recent weeks which makes achieving a further significant reduction in the coming weeks unlikely".

"Following discussions with the NFU, the cull company and Natural England, the licence for the extension of this year's pilot cull will stop with effect from noon on Saturday," it said in a short statement.

Farming minister George Eustice told Sky News the culls would continue, with the wider scheme due to last four years.

The badger cull is designed stop the spread of bovine TB

He said: "This year has demonstrated that this can be safe, effective and humane.

"What we need to do now is learn the lessons from these two pilots to ensure that when we roll this out more widely in future years we can get close to the targets."

Defra ministers are due to explain the decision to Parliament on Monday.

The policy is backed by many farmers and vets' groups but strongly opposed by animal rights campaigners who favour vaccination.

Badger Trust spokesman Jack Reedy said it was a "humiliating and inevitable setback" for Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, the Government and the cattle industry which had "wasted the lives of many hundreds of badgers".

Queen guitarist Brian May is a leading campaigner against the cull

"This ill-advised cut-rate shambles has involved miscalculation of badger populations, manipulated time scales, huge expense for the taxpayer in policing costs, and the fiasco of repeatedly missed targets," he said.

Animal campaigner and rock star Brian May told Sky News the early end to the pilot "demonstrates very clearly that the policy doesn't work".

"There is not a lot of cause to celebrate - it's a massive train wreck."

He added: "The Government was warned that it was going to be a disaster and it is a disaster."

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North Korea: Detained American 'Admits Crimes'

An American veteran of the Korean war detained for "hostile acts" against the communist North has released an apology allegedly confessing to his alleged crimes.

Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old from California, was held in October after entering North Korea "under the guise of a tourist", the country's official KCNA news agency said.

The alleged four-page confession with thumb prints

It is the first time the reclusive state has officially admitted holding Newman, whose family said he was detained on October 26 shortly before take-off from Pyongyang following a 10-day tour.

KCNA said Newman had committed crimes both as a tourist and during his participation in the Korean War six decades ago and published an apology running to nearly 600 words in which the American allegedly confessed to his crimes.

Mr Newman reading the alleged apology

Pyongyang has been accused of previously coercing statements from detainees, but it was riddled with stilted English and grammatical errors, such as "I want not punish me."

Mr Newman, a retired financial executive who served three years during the war, has been accused of infringing upon the "dignity and sovereignty" of the secretive state and "slandering its socialist system, quite contrary to the purpose of the tour", the report said.

The American had also masterminded espionage and subversive activities during the 1950-53 Korean War and was involved in the killing of North Korean soldiers and innocent civilians, it said.

"I realise that I cannot be forgiven for my offensives but I beg for pardon on my knees by apologising for my offensives sincerely toward the (North Korean) government and the Korean people and I want not punish me," Mr Newman was quoted as saying by KCNA.

The Korean War veteran had intended to meet surviving soldiers and pray for the souls of the dead, KCNA said, adding he had asked his guide for help.

He had also criticised North Korea during his trip, it said.

North Korean released an undated photo of lleader Kim Jong Un on Saturday

"I will never commit the offensive act against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) government and the Korean people again," Mr Newman said in his apology.

North Korea released video showing Newman reading his apology, which was dated November 9.

Officials also showed an email printout dated April 19 which allegedly showed Mr Newman was formerly a military advisor to a special forces unit known as Donkey 6 who tried to meet with survivors of the guerilla United Nations Partisan Forces-Korea (UNPFK).

According to the US Special Operations Forces Handbook, the so-called Donkeys - nicknamed after the Korean word for liberty - operated behind enemy lines on missions that remained classified for 30 years.

North Korea issued an alleged email from Mr Newman dated April

It said: "From tiny islands off the Korean coast, the Donkeys conducted raids, rescued downed airmen and maintained electronic facilities.

"Under the guidance of the special forces and other US cadre, (UNPFK) eventually numbered 22,000 and claimed 69,000 enemy casualties."

According to Mr Newman's son, Jeff, his father was on an organised tour and detained due to a "misunderstanding".

"My father is a veteran, and wanted to see the country and culture he has been interested in for years," he said.

North Korea is also holding US national Kenneth Bae, a 45-year-old tour operator arrested a year ago who was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour on charges of seeking to topple the government.

The State Department recently issued an updated travel advisory urging Americans to avoid North Korea, which was reportedly "arbitrarily detaining US citizens and not allowing them to depart the country".

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Australia Shark Attack: Teen Bodyboarder Dies

A teenager has died after being attacked by a shark on Australia's east coast, just one week after a surfer was fatally mauled in the nation's west.

New South Wales police said they were called to a popular surf beach near Coffs Harbour, about 280 miles north of Sydney, after reports of the attack.

"A man, believed to be aged 18, was bodyboarding with friends around 100 metres off shore when he was bitten on the legs by what is believed to be a shark," police said in a statement.

Onlookers were stunned after the attack at a popular surfing spot

"His friends managed to get him to the beach where he was treated by paramedics. He was pronounced dead a short time later."

An ambulance spokeswoman said the victim had severe leg injuries, but he is understood to have died from a traumatic cardiac arrest following the attack.

Police said the boy was sitting upright on his boogie board off secluded Riecks Point when he was bitten on both legs.

"A struggle has taken place and he has managed to break free," Coffs Harbour police inspector Joanne Reid told Sky News.

The teen's body was taken away by rescue helicopter

"It has taken a bit of time to get him to shore and he lost a fair amount of blood on the way."

She commended his friends for going to his aid and bringing him to shore.

"It's just a tragic, tragic incident," she said.

Locals said the sharks were rarely seen in the area and incident had shocked the community.

The death comes a week after a 35-year-old surfer was killed by a shark near Gracetown, about 160 miles south of the Western Australian capital of Perth.

His friends witnessed the attack and were interviewed by police

Sharks are common in Australian waters but deadly attacks are rare, with only one of the average 15 incidents a year typically proving fatal.

Until last week there had not been a fatality since July 2012 when a surfer was bitten in half off the coast of Western Australia, capping an unprecedented spate of five deadly attacks by the marine predators that sparked calls in that state for a cull.

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Prince William Indulges His Love Of Motorbikes

The Duke of Cambridge has indulged his love of motorbikes with a visit to Britain's biggest bike show.

Bike fans at Motorcycle Live in Birmingham crowded round Prince William as he sat astride a variety of models.

A keen biker from a young age, along with his brother Prince Harry, the Duke currently owns a 1199cc Ducati.

The brothers previously took part in an arduous motorcycle rally across Africa to raise money for a variety of charities including Sentebale, of which Prince Harry is a founder.

Eyeing up the Ducati Diavel, the Duke was only too happy to climb on it when prompted by someone in the crowd shouting: "Go on, get on it."

With a laugh, William replied: "All right then, if I have to," before sitting on the cruiser motorcycle.

Keen biker William rode across Africa for charity with his brother Harry

The Duke was flanked by crowds wherever he went inside the arena, and one young girl who was lucky enough to have a quick chat with him said she was pleased to have met him.

Bronte Williams, aged eight, who was visiting the exhibition with her family, said: "He was very nice and chatty.

"He asked me what I enjoyed and I told him the off-road show."

Just before leaving, the Duke was presented with a gift for his baby son, Prince George.

Event organisers gave him a balance bike for the young royal, which had the royal crest emblazoned on it, a 'G' with a crown above it and the Motorcycle Live logo.

William spent a good bit of time at the Norton, Metisse, Triumph, CCM, Ducati, and Yamaha stands, talking to organisers and chatting about the bikes.

He also watched riders taking part in the Yamaha off-road experience, a short off-road course inside the NEC.

Motorcycle Live, at the at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) until December 1, is the Motorcycle Industry Association's flagship event.

The association has looked after the interests of the motorcycle industry in the UK for over 100 years. Its members manufacture and import motorbikes and supply associated goods and services.

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Romanian PM Warns UK: We're Not Second-Rate

Romania's Prime Minister has called on Britain not to treat Romanians as "second-rate citizens" when work restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers are lifted in January.

It follows Prime Minister David Cameron's pledge to toughen welfare rules for migrants from the European Union, amid concern in the UK that people from Romania and Bulgaria will exploit the British welfare system.

Mr Cameron has said one million people from Central and Eastern Europe are living in Britain, with migration at a level not seen since wartime.

Some fear a rise of Romanian camps, like the 400 estimated sites in France

Romanian leader Victor Ponta said people should be punished for abusing Britain's welfare system, but restrictions should not be used to "generate or justify abuse or discrimination toward European citizens".

"We will not accept being treated as second-rate citizens," Mr Ponta said.

He added that research showed "there is no reason for concern regarding a migrant wave" from Romania to Britain.

Millions of Romanians had already chosen to work abroad in "southern Latin states", referring to Spain and Italy, which have a Latin-based language like Romanian.

Ford has closed facilities in the UK and moved some to Romania

He said he hoped Mr Cameron was not trying "to attack the fundamental principles of the EU, among which the freedom of movement is one of the most important values".

Mr Cameron's comments were criticised on Wednesday by European employment commissioner Laszlo Andor as an "unfortunate over-reaction".

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Helicopter Crashes Into Glasgow Pub: Eight Die

Eight people are now known to have died after a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow last night.

The three aircraft crew - two officers and a civilian pilot - were among those killed, Police Scotland said.

Five other people lost their lives in the Clutha bar after the helicopter came through the roof of the lively city nightspot.

The pub had been packed with more than 100 people watching a band when the crash happened at 10.25pm.

Police say a rescue and recovery operation - described as "very sensitive and complex" - is continuing at the premises, suggesting people may still be trapped in the building.

The mangled wreckage of the aircraft remained embedded in the middle of the building as the search went on.

Rescue teams have been looking for people in the bar

A major investigation is under way by police along with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and 14 people remain seriously injured in three hospitals in Glasgow.

A total of 32 were admitted and 18 of them have been discharged. The injuries were mostly to the chest and head as well as lacerations.

A tent was erected on top of the pub on Saturday morning to cover some of the wreckage as a rotor could be seen protruding from the roof.

Meanwhile, the Queen has said her thoughts and prayers were with the victims.

Eyewitnesses have described the helicopter "falling like a stone" on to the roof, while some have suggested that there was a problem with the aircraft's rotor.

Grace MacLean, who was inside the pub when the helicopter struck, told Sky News: "Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

The injured are being treated at three Glasgow hospitals

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is."

William Byrne, who was listening to the band with his brother, said: "There was a huge bang and there was a couple of seconds of almost stillness after this band and then the whole other side of the pub from where I was collapsed and then the roof and gantry of the bar collapsed."

One worried relative at the scene of the crash, Alice Healy, told Sky News how she had not heard from her cousin who had been inside the pub when the aircraft hit.

John McGarrigle says he is sure his father was killed in the crash

Another, John McGarrigle, 38, said that he had been told by someone inside the pub that his 59-year-old father, also called John, had been sitting at precisely the spot the aircraft had come down and that he had been killed but that authorities had not been able to confirm this.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is a black day for Glasgow and Scotland but it's also St Andrew's Day and it's a day we can take pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy."

He praised the "instinctive bravery of ordinary Glaswegians" who went to the rescue of those trapped inside the pub and the emergency services.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband were among the other politicians who said their thoughts were with the victims' relatives.

An EC135 T2 like the one that crashed into the Clutha bar

Footage showed confusion outside the pub in the moments after the helicopter hit the roof and those inside the building told how it was 15 minutes before they knew what had happened.

People at the scene told how they worked to form a human chain to carry unconscious people out of the pub.

Among the helpers was Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy, who told Sky News: "I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub. It is a horrible, horrible scene."

The helicopter, a EC135 T2, which is widely used by the police, has a good safety record, with one incident in 2007 after which the AAIB asked manufacturers Eurocopter to look at a stability system switch.

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.

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Glasgow Helicopter: Video Of Crash Aftermath

Video shows the moments after a police helicopter crashed into a crowded pub in Glasgow.

One onlooker filmed the scene as people stood outside The Clutha in Stockwell Street wondering what had caused a huge crash and filled the venue with choking dust.

Customers are seen wandering back into the pub, not realising that a helicopter had spun out of control and smashed into the roof.

Eyewitnesses were watching a live ska band when the ceiling started to cave in.

Emergency services at the scene

Grace MacLean told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band. And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down.

"Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is. No-one had a clue what was going on. There was no loud noise.

"People were helping each other out. Everyone started helping people who were hurt. People had some head injuries. Lots of people were covered in dust. There were lots of people shocked. No-one knew it was a helicopter crash until people told you."

William Byrne, who was watching the band play with his brother, said: "I thought 'has the band blown something', something electrical like a speaker or something, you could never have foreseen that it was something remotely like a helicopter.

"I didn't know until about 15 minutes later that it was a helicopter. My thoughts were that something just blew and then the ceiling just collapsed. I had no concept of what it may have been that happened."

Firefighters on the roof of the pub where the helicopter crash-landed

Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy happened to be driving past the pub immediately after the crash.

"I jumped out and tried to help," he said. "There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious."

He described how a human chain formed to help pass unconscious casualties out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out".

Scores of passers-by in the area ran to the venue after seeing or hearing the aircraft go down.

Connor Gillies, from Radio Clyde News, told Sky News of the "scenes of chaos" and "continuous stream of sirens" in the area on Friday evening.

Mr Gillies described seeing "blood on the shirt" of Mr Murphy, who he said was "clearly very shaken, very upset by the whole thing".

Wesley Shearer, who posted pictures on Twitter of the scene, said: "This is unbelievable. Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out of the bar."

MP Jim Murphy helped people out of the venue

Jan Hollands, who also tweeted pictures from the scene, said she heard the crash and described it as "scary".

:: Police have issued an emergency telephone number for concerned relatives - 0800 092 0410.

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