Loved ones of Clutha tragedy victims recall horror night their lives were torn apart by helicopter crash, ten years on
A CLUTHA disaster survivor has recalled ten years on how she waited in shock outside the devastated Glasgow pub for her partner to come out — but he never did. Minutes earlier Mary Kavanagh, now 69, had watched Robert Jenkins, 61, get up from his seat beside her in the busy boozer[1] so that he could go buy her a glass of cranberry juice.
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Mary Kavanagh lost her partner Robert in the Clutha tragedy 10 years agoCredit: John Kirkby
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Robert Jenkins, 61, was inside the bar when the helicopter crashedCredit: Handout
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Ten people died in the tragedy on November 29 2013Credit: Getty Images – Getty
That was the last time she saw him. Moments later — at 10.22pm on Friday, November 29, 2013 — a police[2] helicopter plummeted from the sky and crashed through the roof.
The shattering impact claimed the lives of the chopper pilot and two cops on board plus seven Clutha punters. Amid the blinding dust, panic and confusion that followed, Mary didn’t realise her beloved Robert was one of the ten tragic victims.
Looking back on that horrific night a decade ago, she explained: “The place was packed but we managed to find a spot between the door and where the band were playing on the stage. “We were just having soft drinks because we were due to babysit my grandson the next morning.
“I drank my cranberry juice quite quickly and told Robert I was going to the bar get another. “But he said if I waited a couple of minutes until he was finished, he would get it on the way back from the toilet.
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“Those were the last words he said to me.” The music-loving couple, who had been together for five years, had only headed to the Clutha that night because a gig they were meant to be going to had been cancelled. But Mary’s life changed forever when the police ‘copter ran out of fuel more than 500ft above her.
She said: “The band had just finished a number and were about to start another when there was a thud. “And then, maybe ten or 15 seconds later, just a crash. “All this dust came into the pub.
Someone shouted that they thought one of the speakers had blown. “By that time you couldn’t see in front of you because it was so dark. “On the side of the pub where I was sitting there wasn’t any panic.
“Someone managed to open the door, so I grabbed on to a guy’s jacket and got outside. “I stood in the street with no idea about what had happened. “People came out totally covered in dust.
“Then others started coming out with body injuries and head injuries. “Some were limping. “I just kept waiting for Robert to come out — but he never did.”
Mary’s daughter Judith, who lived nearby, raced down to be with her. The stunned gran said: “I’d given a policewoman a description of Robert. “They then told my daughter to take me back to her place.
“I went into shock at 1am. “Judith had to take me to hospital. “Finally, on the Sunday, the police came and told me Robert’s body had been found.”
Mary’s health suffered as she struggled to cope with the loss of her “gentle giant”, who she describes as “so calm and easy-going”. She said: “I was on tranquillisers and couldn’t sleep. “I gave up my work due to post-traumatic stress.”
Her road recovery began by returning to the Clutha, where owner Alan Crossan, 70, had set up a charitable trust in honour of the victims. She explained: “After the accident it was quite a while before I could go back there. “And after Alan started the Clutha Trust, I was not too involved for a year.
“Then I started looking after the charity’s administration and taking part in some events. “It really helped me. “It was really good to get out of the house and feel like I was doing something.
“Particularly since I was doing it in memory of Robert.” Mary added: “Since the Clutha re-opened I’ve gone there every year on November 29. “This year will be the same.
“I meet family and friends, including Robert’s daughters Claire and Elaine. “There is such a real sense of community. “I feel part of a family, they all look after me.
“Coming up to the anniversary, I appreciate that I’m surrounded by so many lovely people. “It seems like yesterday this happened — it’s hard to believe it’s been ten years.” Robert died in the pub along with John McGarrigle, 57, Mark O’Prey, 44, Gary Arthur, 48, Colin Gibson, 33, Samuel McGhee, 56, and Joe Cusker, 59.
Captain David Traill, 51, plus police officers Tony Collins, 43, and Kirsty Nelis, 36, died in the helicopter.
Returning to the scene of my son’s loss
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Ian O’Prey who lost his son Mark in the tragedyCredit: John Kirkby
GRIEVING dad Ian O’Prey told how he still visits the Clutha Bar, where his son Mark lost his life tragically ten years ago. The retired joiner, 77, said his family used to go there to watch their favourite band. But that treasured time ended when dad-of-one Mark, 44, died in the helicopter horror.
Ian explained: “I’m not really conscious of Mark when we go into the Clutha now because the part of the building where the crash happened isn’t open.” The grandad, of East Kilbride, only learned of the disaster at 8am the next morning. He said: “My daughter called and told me, ‘We think Mark was in there.’
“I dropped the phone because I knew she was right.” On the anniversary, Ian will attend mass at his local church. He added: “Mark will be in my thoughts, like he is most days.”
Anger after the Helicopter pilot was blamed
THE Fatal Accident Inquiry into the disaster blamed the helicopter crash on pilot error — but grieving fami-lies called it a “cover-up”.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull delivered his verdict in October 2019 after hearing 31 days of evidence from 46 witnesses. It was claimed the pilot, Captain David Traill, had gambled that fuel warning lights were faulty. The law chief found there was enough fuel on board but Captain Traill didn’t ensure that switches for the transfer pumps were on and he also ignored five low fuel warnings.
The two engines then “flamed out”, causing the ‘copter to fall onto the Clutha. Sheriff Turnbull said the crash would have been avoided if the pilot had switched on even one of the two transfer pumps. But victims’ families and pub owner Alan Crossan said the report didn’t provide them with answers or justice — and it was too convenient to blame it on pilot error alone.
The Timeline
NOVEMBER 29, 2013, 8.44pm: Helicopter leaves centre of Glasgow.
It heads to south of city, then Dalkeith, Midlothian.
10.06pm: Audio gong sounds and a light on the dashboard warns that fuel is low.
10.14pm: Chopper at Bothwell, Lanarkshire. Another four fuel warnings sound. Two pumps for fuel are switched off.
10.19pm: Captain David Traill reports he is returning to base.
10.22pm: Engines cut out at 500-600ft up (150-180m) and ‘copter plummets on to bar’s roof. NOVEMBER 30: Search goes on and nine fatalities confirmed. DECEMBER 2: Remains of the aircraft are removed from devastated pub.
DECEMBER 6: Prince Charles visits the crash scene. DECEMBER 12: A tenth victim, Joe Cusker, dies in hospital. FEBRUARY 14, 2014: AAIB’s interim report finds that both helicopter engines failed.
JULY 24: The Clutha reopens.
APRIL 8, 2019: Fatal Accident Inquiry begins at Hampden. OCTOBER 30: Sheriff rules crash was caused by Captain Traill ignoring five fuel alerts.
The Blackest of Times By Alex Salmond, Former First Minister
I was at a Conference in Gleneagles Hotel when first news came through. Initially the information was fragmentary, just that an aircraft had come down in the middle of Glasgow. Soon however it was clarified to be a helicopter but the scale of the impact and the casualty numbers was still unknown.
The response of our emergency services was exceptional, as was that of the NHS, of Glasgow City Council and all the other agencies that came so rapidly to the aid of the victims in a complex and often dangerous situation. I activated the Scottish Government’s resilience room late on the Friday evening of the crash from my hotel bedroom , operating in close contact with the Chief Constable whose service was co-ordinating the rescue and recovery operation. Kenny MacAskill – the then Cabinet Secretary for Justice – and I went to Glasgow first thing on Saturday morning, accompanied by Gordon Mathieson, then leader of Glasgow City Council.
It was St Andrews Day, our national day, but there was no cause for celebration. As I reflected then it was the blackest of times for Glasgow and for Scotland. I visited the control centre and spoke to officers and emergency staff from Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the national health service and the Scottish Ambulance Service.
I saw for myself the speed and effectiveness of the immediate mobilisation of the emergency services in dealing with the tragedy. The late Queen Elizabeth expressed her sadness and His Holiness Pope Francis sent a message expressing his closeness to the people of Glasgow. However out of all this bleakness comes one positive thought.
I will forever be inspired, and proud, of the instinctive courage of ordinary Glaswegians in coming to the aid of their fellow citizens in a time of need. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, we saw people running towards – not away from – potential danger to help. Those who were in the Clutha and those nearby entering the building in the first seconds after the incident to form a human chain to help the injured to escape.
Tragedies do not define people, cities or countries.
We are defined by how we respond to tragedy.
As we mourn still those who died in the tragedy, we can also reflect on the compassion, sympathy and solidarity that were demonstrated in the aftermath throughout Scotland and the world.
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Ten people died in the tragedy – (top row left to right) helicopter pilot David Traill with police officers Kirsty Nelis and Tony Collins. (middle row left to right) Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson and Mark O’Prey, (bottom row) Samuel McGhee, Robert Jenkins and John McGarrigleCredit: PA:Press Association
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Joe Cusker from Rutherglen near Glasgow was the 10th victim after dying in hospital
References
- ^ busy boozer (www.thescottishsun.co.uk)
- ^ police (www.thescottishsun.co.uk)