Clutha pub disaster bodies recovered after helicopter wreckage is winched clear

The remaining two bodies from the Glasgow helicopter tragedy were ­recovered yesterday after the mangled wreckage was winched from the roof of the Clutha Vaults pub.

Rescuers used a crane to remove the shattered aircraft, whose crew – two police officers and a civilian pilot – were killed along with six people inside the building in Friday night’s disaster.

The rotor blades and part of the tail had been taken away on Sunday but yesterday the fuselage was secured and winched slowly off the roof.

The wreckage was taken by lorry to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch base in Farnborough, Hampshire.

Removing the Eurocopter EC135 T2 allowed the rest of the devastated building to be searched. Last night police announced that the search and ­recovery operation had concluded, with no further victims inside.

Police Scotland Deputy Chief ­Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: “I can confirm that the search and recovery operation has now concluded and we are satisfied there are no further ­fatalities at the scene.”

The pub had been packed with revellers enjoying a local ska band. Only five of the nine dead have been formally identified.

Some relatives told yesterday of their anger at the length of time it has taken to recover and identify the bodies.

John McGarrigle, 38, whose father, John senior, 59, is thought to be among the dead, said: “What about the dignity for the human beings underneath that police helicopter? I want my dad out of there. I know he was in there. It’s like a piece of machinery is more important than the people underneath there.”

Mark O’Prey, 44, is also among the missing. His father Ian and sister ­Louise criticised the delay.

Ian said: “If they had made a better attempt on the Saturday, they could have got them out a lot earlier.”

Louise added: “We just need to know. We feel as a family that the ­priority is given to keeping that helicopter intact, which is no use to us.”

Louise said she continues to call Mark’s phone in the hope he will pick up. Police boss Ms Fitzpatrick said: “We are working hard to formally identify the remaining victims as soon as ­possible in order to bring some ­certainty to the families who have been waiting for news since the tragic incident on Friday. As many have acknowledged, it has been a difficult and complex recovery operation.”

Captain Dave Traill and officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43, died on board when the aircraft hit the pub as it returned from a police operation. Gary Arthur, 48, from ­Paisley, and Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow, were among those killed in the pub. Eleven people remain in ­hospital, three in intensive care.

Tuesday 3 December 2013

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/446453/Clutha-pub-disaster-bodies-recovered-after-helicopter-wreckage-is-winched-clear