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| Clutha pub helicopter crash inquiry hears from the families of victims | Clutha pub helicopter crash inquiry hears from the families of victims |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Statements from the families of those killed when a police helicopter crashed onto a Glasgow pub in 2013 have been read out at a hearing into the tragedy. | Statements from the families of those killed when a police helicopter crashed onto a Glasgow pub in 2013 have been read out at a hearing into the tragedy. |
| Seven were killed inside the Clutha Bar and three on board the helicopter. | Seven were killed inside the Clutha Bar and three on board the helicopter. |
| Sheriff principal Craig Turnbull led a minute's silence ahead of the tributes made on the first day of the fatal accident inquiry. | Sheriff principal Craig Turnbull led a minute's silence ahead of the tributes made on the first day of the fatal accident inquiry. |
| The statements were read out by legal representatives and detailed the loss of loved ones. | The statements were read out by legal representatives and detailed the loss of loved ones. |
| Testimonies came from the families of Samuel McGhee, 56; Gary Arthur, 48; Robert Jenkins, 61; Colin Gibson, 33; John McGarrigle, 57; and Mark O'Prey, 44. | Testimonies came from the families of Samuel McGhee, 56; Gary Arthur, 48; Robert Jenkins, 61; Colin Gibson, 33; John McGarrigle, 57; and Mark O'Prey, 44. |
| No statement was provided by the relatives of Joe Cusker, 59 and there were no statements on behalf of pilot David Traill, 51, and crew Tony Collins, 43, and Kirsty Nelis, 36. | No statement was provided by the relatives of Joe Cusker, 59 and there were no statements on behalf of pilot David Traill, 51, and crew Tony Collins, 43, and Kirsty Nelis, 36. |
| 'A good friend and neighbour' | 'A good friend and neighbour' |
| Mr McGhee's daughter Kerry told how her father was born and bred in Castlemilk. The bus driver had to take early retirement to care for his partner, who died of cancer in 2007. | |
| "He was a good friend, neighbour and a sad loss to our close-knit community," she wrote. | "He was a good friend, neighbour and a sad loss to our close-knit community," she wrote. |
| Colin Gibson was celebrating a friend's birthday on the night of the tragedy. He had never been in the bar before. | Colin Gibson was celebrating a friend's birthday on the night of the tragedy. He had never been in the bar before. |
| In a statement, his family said: "We will never know what he would have went on to achieve. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." | In a statement, his family said: "We will never know what he would have went on to achieve. He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." |
| Mark O'Prey's father, Ian, said his "wonderful son" had "many virtues" and "loved life and lived it to the full". | Mark O'Prey's father, Ian, said his "wonderful son" had "many virtues" and "loved life and lived it to the full". |
| He thanked the hearing for the minute's silence, but said after "five and a half years of silence from the Crown Office" the gesture was "of no consequence" to him. | He thanked the hearing for the minute's silence, but said after "five and a half years of silence from the Crown Office" the gesture was "of no consequence" to him. |
| He added that he hopes the FAI - which is being held in a temporary court at Hampden Park, the home of Scottish football - "arrives at some truth". | |
| 'A loveable rogue' | 'A loveable rogue' |
| Mary Kavanagh's partner, 61-year-old Robert Jenkins, was the oldest to die. | Mary Kavanagh's partner, 61-year-old Robert Jenkins, was the oldest to die. |
| Donald Findlay QC read out a statement on behalf of Ms Kavanagh, which said the father-of-two had many friends and was a keen football fan who would have loved to work at the Scottish Football Museum, based at Hampden Park. | Donald Findlay QC read out a statement on behalf of Ms Kavanagh, which said the father-of-two had many friends and was a keen football fan who would have loved to work at the Scottish Football Museum, based at Hampden Park. |
| He said: "Mary finds it very ironic that the FAI is taking place at a venue that Robert held in such high esteem." | He said: "Mary finds it very ironic that the FAI is taking place at a venue that Robert held in such high esteem." |
| The couple were in The Clutha on the night of the disaster. She last saw Mr Jenkins as he went to the bar to buy her a cranberry juice. | The couple were in The Clutha on the night of the disaster. She last saw Mr Jenkins as he went to the bar to buy her a cranberry juice. |
| The sisters of Gary Arthur described him as a "joker" and a "loveable rogue", and said the disaster had robbed them of so much. | The sisters of Gary Arthur described him as a "joker" and a "loveable rogue", and said the disaster had robbed them of so much. |
| Their statement concluded: "Nothing will ever bring our brother back, but hopefully we will be given the chance to have closure over the last five years and remember Gary as a much loved person and not just a victim from The Clutha." | Their statement concluded: "Nothing will ever bring our brother back, but hopefully we will be given the chance to have closure over the last five years and remember Gary as a much loved person and not just a victim from The Clutha." |
| John McGarrigle's son, John, described his father as his "hero". The court heard he was a writer and a Clutha regular who always used to sit in the same seat. | John McGarrigle's son, John, described his father as his "hero". The court heard he was a writer and a Clutha regular who always used to sit in the same seat. |
| The statement said: "His talent was immense and his take on things was wry and humorous." | The statement said: "His talent was immense and his take on things was wry and humorous." |
| First witnesses called | First witnesses called |
| Following the victim statements the inquiry called its first witness. | Following the victim statements the inquiry called its first witness. |
| He was Andrew Bergin and he described seeing the helicopter flying over the Clyde on the night of the crash. | He was Andrew Bergin and he described seeing the helicopter flying over the Clyde on the night of the crash. |
| The 30-year-old told the court: "It made what I can only describe as a spluttering noise". | The 30-year-old told the court: "It made what I can only describe as a spluttering noise". |
| Mr Bergin said the helicopter's tail dipped and pointed towards the ground. He added: "Simultaneously the lights went out and it seemed to me that the rotor stopped spinning. It was still turning but not under power." | Mr Bergin said the helicopter's tail dipped and pointed towards the ground. He added: "Simultaneously the lights went out and it seemed to me that the rotor stopped spinning. It was still turning but not under power." |
| He told the court the helicopter then lost height. | He told the court the helicopter then lost height. |
| Christopher Jarvie then gave evidence. He said the helicopter was "flying along normally" when he first spotted it. He then heard a "stuttering noise" before it fell and disappeared from sight. | |
| Taxi driver Tariq Malik, 41, was in the car park of the Grand Mosque on Ballater Street. He recalled it was a clear night when he saw the helicopter suddenly lose power. | Taxi driver Tariq Malik, 41, was in the car park of the Grand Mosque on Ballater Street. He recalled it was a clear night when he saw the helicopter suddenly lose power. |
| He told the court: "All I could hear was a swooshing sound as it fell through the sky." | He told the court: "All I could hear was a swooshing sound as it fell through the sky." |
| More than 100 people were in the bar when the Police Scotland helicopter crashed through the roof at 22:22. As well as the 10 who died, 31 people were injured. | More than 100 people were in the bar when the Police Scotland helicopter crashed through the roof at 22:22. As well as the 10 who died, 31 people were injured. |
| The Eurocopter EC 135, operated by Bond Air Services, had been returning to its base on the banks of the River Clyde. | The Eurocopter EC 135, operated by Bond Air Services, had been returning to its base on the banks of the River Clyde. |
| The inquiry will not sit every day and is expected to hear about three months' worth of evidence between now and August. | The inquiry will not sit every day and is expected to hear about three months' worth of evidence between now and August. |
| The first four weeks will involve eyewitnesses and representatives of the the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and Airbus. | The first four weeks will involve eyewitnesses and representatives of the the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and Airbus. |
| Air accident report | Air accident report |
| The witness list does not include any emergency services personnel who responded to the disaster. | The witness list does not include any emergency services personnel who responded to the disaster. |
| It is understood that the evidence of police, fire and ambulance personnel has been accepted by all those participating in the inquiry which means it will be presented in written documents. | It is understood that the evidence of police, fire and ambulance personnel has been accepted by all those participating in the inquiry which means it will be presented in written documents. |
| In October 2015 a report from the AAIB concluded the pilot did not follow emergency protocol and flew on despite low fuel warnings. | In October 2015 a report from the AAIB concluded the pilot did not follow emergency protocol and flew on despite low fuel warnings. |
| It also found fuel transfer pumps were turned off and a controlled landing was not achieved for "unknown reasons". | It also found fuel transfer pumps were turned off and a controlled landing was not achieved for "unknown reasons". |
| And it recommended all police helicopters be equipped with black box flight recording equipment. | And it recommended all police helicopters be equipped with black box flight recording equipment. |
| Police took more than 2,000 statements and more than 1,400 productions have been assembled for the FAI. | Police took more than 2,000 statements and more than 1,400 productions have been assembled for the FAI. |
| The Crown's dedicated Helicopter Incident Investigation Team also commissioned an interactive model of the EC 135's fuel system. | The Crown's dedicated Helicopter Incident Investigation Team also commissioned an interactive model of the EC 135's fuel system. |
| Clutha timeline | Clutha timeline |