[Kizzy]

My god... The witness said they were joking as the ceiling began to come in?
Awful...

[erinp5]

Originally Posted by arista

Go to the BBC

Ditto

[mizzy25]

I'm interested in what's going I Glasgow and Im hoping and preying that people in this country are getting out of that pub alive. I know theres 8 dead now. God I keep thinking imagine you just nipped out for a drink on a Fri night and helicopter crashes into the pub where you are killing you or your friends and family, it doesn't seem real does it?
I know there are kids dying in Africa so why oh why do people still keep having kids when theres so many dying due to poverty etc?

[Lee.]

Originally Posted by mizzy25

I'm interested in what's going I Glasgow and Im hoping and preying that people in this country are getting out of that pub alive. I know theres 8 dead now. God I keep thinking imagine you just nipped out for a drink on a Fri night and helicopter crashes into the pub where you are killing you or your friends and family, it doesn't seem real does it?
I know there are kids dying in Africa so why oh why do people still keep having kids when theres so many dying due to poverty etc?

It's a scary thought mizzy isn't it? I've got young family members who are out in Glasgow every weekend, I have friends who stay in Glasgow who could have been in the area and my husband is a guitarist and regularly plays in pubs.. It could have been any one of them...

[mizzy25]

Yes Lee I also have friends in Glasgow and my brother in law sings in a band, it just seems to surreal.

[GiRTh]

IS there any more news on what caused it?

[arista]

Originally Posted by GiRTh

IS there any more news on what caused it?

No

Engine Stopped Dead

So the black box - will take some time

[Ninastar]

How dare we think about something that has happened in our country and 8 people have died when there are polar bears dying because we drive too many cars!!! How selfish of us to not donate half our wages to poor people! Who cares if 8 people died from a helicopter accident? There are worse things the world which are much more important!!!!!!111

[Kizzy]

I'm waiting for someone to start pointing fingers at the police..
The contingency plans of the emergency services and the hospital were commended. It's easy to forget how amazing they until something like this happens.

[Z]

Helicopters are notoriously flimsy; perhaps it had something to do with weather conditions like so many other crashes. It's been wintry and wild here as you would expect over the last few weeks, I don't know if it was especially windy at the time because I was inside when it happened.

I don't want to offend anyone who's made the point that there are other things going on in the world - but this is a tragedy that has occurred in our own country, of course the media are going to report on it, the rescue efforts are still on-going and some people have died. Show some respect for your fellow countrymen and women? This happened down the road from where I live, it's not "over" as far as I'm concerned. If you want to read about something else, go find your own news instead of gurning about what the major news outlets are choosing to report on. The world is at your fingertips.

[mizzy25]

Id much rather hear and read news about things that happen in my own country Zee and nobody should be offended that we want to read/hear new especially yoursef as you live very near. I remember when someone got shot in the pubs carpark across the road from me, of course I wanted to hear about that. I hope theres no more fatalities.

[Ammi]

Eight people are confirmed to have died and 14 remain seriously injured after a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub in Glasgow.

The three aircraft crew - two officers and a civilian pilot - were among those killed on Friday night, 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.

The 14 injured people remain seriously injured in three hospitals in Glasgow.

A total of 32 were admitted and 18 of them have been discharged. The wounded suffered mostly chest, spinal and head injuries as well as fractures and lacerations.

Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch are carrying out a major investigation into the crash

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.

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."

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

The Queen has said her "thoughts and prayers" were with the victims of the crash.

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.

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

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 12m-long (40ft) 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.

:: Officers are asking the public to send any photographs, audio or video footage they have of the incident or the surrounding areas to a dedicated email address which has been set up to receive media

[Ninastar]

Originally Posted by Zee

Helicopters are notoriously flimsy; perhaps it had something to do with weather conditions like so many other crashes. It's been wintry and wild here as you would expect over the last few weeks, I don't know if it was especially windy at the time because I was inside when it happened.

I don't want to offend anyone who's made the point that there are other things going on in the world - but this is a tragedy that has occurred in our own country, of course the media are going to report on it, the rescue efforts are still on-going and some people have died. Show some respect for your fellow countrymen and women? This happened down the road from where I live, it's not "over" as far as I'm concerned. If you want to read about something else, go find your own news instead of gurning about what the major news outlets are choosing to report on. The world is at your fingertips.

Very well said...

It reminds me of when that soldier was beheaded in London and people were saying how this happens all the time in other countries... So what? What are we supposed to do about that?

[Shaun]

the lengths people will go to to prove they care about the more obscure tragedies (by writing off the most-covered ones? ok)

have a medal, well done you

[Z]

I know! There are billions of people on this planet. Each and every single one of those people is capable of providing a news story at any given moment. Why aren't you outraged that the BBC haven't been covering my viral illness? Because it's not relevant to many people - me, maybe my parents, tutors/lecturers whose classes I've had to miss, if that? A helicopter crash landed through the roof of a pub, eight people died and many people were injured, some critically. People want to hear about that, it was a shock, a one off incident, a tragic disaster. People know that there is poverty going on around the world - we have charities working around the clock to raise continued awareness of these situations, blogs dedicated to the topic, it often gets mentioned in the news if there is a sudden change (usually worsened conditions) in a particular famine or drought, for example.

Don't understand this competitive high horse attitude towards news reporting - the media are often following the lead of whichever outlet manages to break a story first because nobody wants to not cover something if everyone else is doing it, it makes them look sloppy; and there's only so much content people are willing to read on a daily basis, so fresh news stories will always take priority to keep people informed of current affairs. It's always been so clear to me that this is how the media has to operate, how could it work any other way?

[Vicky.]

This is awful.

[Kizzy]

I think that some are beginning to become very cynical due to the recent political bias shown by the BBC. It's almost as if when they do report on something you think , right! what are you not telling us?...
Nobody 'wants a medal' it just seems that if they fixate on one issue it's a great excuse not to cover some other issues...
That's just my view, I do understand too how this an important local issue and I'm so pleased at the way it was handled with tact and efficiency by the emergency services.
Now when there are silly stories circulated in the media about the the police, firefighters and the NHS I hope situations like this are brought to mind.

[Benjamin]

No offence to the tragedies going on in the rest of the world, but when things occur in our own nation which may effect us, our friends/relatives or people we know of course we give a **** more about that. Doesn't mean we don't care about others in the world but I'll be damned if someone in say Kenya gave more of a **** about this crash in the UK over a tragedy in their own country.

[Kizzy]

All that is being suggested is this is being covered yet at the same time other stories of local, national or global importance are being excluded.
Nobody is saying no one should care about this issue, all that has been proposed is other stories are maybe sidelined as a result of extensive coverage.

[MTVN]

So what? By the very nature of a story being the current main news item it is going to sideline other stories

Is it really hard to see why has this has gained so much attention? Partly because it is an exceptional incident, how many other similar cases can you name of a helicopter crashing down to a crowded city pub on a Friday night? Partly because details are still emerging and it isn't entirely clear yet what happened or who the victims are. And also partly because it has this "it could happen to anyone" feel about it, to think people were just enjoying a few drinks in their local city pub on a Friday night and suddenly it turns into tragedy, it's not something you could ever expect yet it is something that could easily impact a lot of people in this country quite closely

The news is not supposed to be some kind of top trumps game where the biggest disasters get the most airtime regardless of all the circumstances and the context

[Z]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

All that is being suggested is this is being covered yet at the same time other stories of local, national or global importance are being excluded.
Nobody is saying no one should care about this issue, all that has been proposed is other stories are maybe sidelined as a result of extensive coverage.

Perhaps that's true, but there are a number of ways to access news that aren't dependent on the endorsement of big news corporations so I dunno, I don't really think it's all that big a deal. Of course the BBC is in theory supposed to be an unbiased service but it's an institution run by human beings, not robots, so subtle agendas will be pushed and I think on the whole, the service we get is still a really expansive, encompassing one that covers a range of topics and interests across its broadcasting spectrum.

[Kizzy]

Or not so subtle at times... But I see your point zee and appreciate what you say.
Your community must be in shock today, it has resonated across the country and the courage shown by those that selflessly helped is humbling.

[GypsyGoth]

It a horrible tragedy. I looked at a news story about it and it mentioned the list of injuries those in hospital have, they've also started to release some of the names of the dead . Apparently one who died was the father of a football player and he used to goto all her matches, another was a policeman, not even 50 years old.

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Shaun

the lengths people will go to to prove they care about the more obscure tragedies (by writing off the most-covered ones? ok)

have a medal, well done you

Obscurely I agree Shaun with you for once. Sky/BBC 24 had it on non-stop as a cheap tragedy to cover.

I went all the way across Scotland last night to see a band in Glasgow. I didn't have to fear for my life in this dangerous undertaking apart from the weirdo Weegies who would be there.

Rock band Pallas were shoite, but I didn't have to worry of famine or lack of health care after we paid the car park then drove home.

[Claymores]

Originally Posted by Lee.

It's a scary thought mizzy isn't it? I've got young family members who are out in Glasgow every weekend, I have friends who stay in Glasgow who could have been in the area and my husband is a guitarist and regularly plays in pubs.. It could have been any one of them...

Sure Lee - you better not venture out the front door in that warzone called Dunfermline. In fact, never venture out, get Asda home deliveries and start building an underground shelter just in case.