30/11/2013 BBC Weekend News

At least eight people have been confirmed dead after a helicopter

crashes in Glasgow. It came down on the roof of a crowded pub. Dozens

more have been injured. There was a loud bang, and a couple of seconds

later, the left-hand side of the pub just collapsed in -- collapsed in on

itself. A huge rescue operation is still under way, as investigators

try to piece together what went wrong.

Good evening. At least eight people have died and 14 are seriously

injured after a helicopter crashed through the roof of a crowded pub in

Glasgow. The police helicopter came down late last night, killing all

three people on board and another five who were in the Clutha Vaults

pub in the city centre. Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, has

called it a black day for Glasgow and Scotland. The Queen has said her

thoughts and prayers are with the people of the city. Our

correspondent is there now. This has been a long, difficult day for

Glasgow. Difficult beyond measure for the relatives of those who died,

of course, but also difficult for the police in the city, responding

to an emergency involving their own colleagues and friends. This report

contains flash photography. In the first few seconds, no one knew what

had happened. The pub was packed, the music loud,

and no one heard the helicopter coming down. Even as they stumbled

onto the street, it was hard to make sense of the scene. Suddenly I heard

this very loud bang. The ceiling had fallen onto the bar in the central

bit of the pub. That's when we realised things were serious, and

there might be a second explosion or something might ignite, so I decided

to run outside. Now, how are you feeling? I consider myself a very,

very lucky to have been where I was, and I feel sorry for the unlucky

ones who were caught under the rubble. Within minutes, dozens, then

hundreds, of firefighters, police and paramedics were on their way.

But before they arrived, it was the people of Glasgow who risked their

lives to help. They had no training, but they didn't hesitate. Are you

OK? It's a bit of a blur, but people just formed a human chain

side-by-side, to try and help pull injured people out. There's blood on

your shirt. Yes. It's not mine. As the night wore on, there was some

hope. Firefighters said they had made contact with survivors trapped

in the pub. It is now five hours since the helicopter crashed, and a

difficult, detailed and delicate rescue operation is taking place

here. Specialist teams have been drafted in from all over Scotland as

they try to bring people out of this pub alive. But for one man, watching

and waiting all night for news of his father, there was no comfort. I

know my dad was