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State & Ceremonial

Queen sends her ‘thoughts and prayers’ to Glasgow helicopter crash victims

The Queen has sent a message of support to the victims of the Glasgow police helicopter crash.

A police helicopter carrying three people crashed into a pub in the city centre on Friday evening, killing those on board and five inside the pub. Scottish police confirmed a further 14 people are being treated for “very serious injuries” in several hospitals across Glasgow.

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The 87-year-old monarch, who is currently at Windsor Castle, said “her thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the crash” on Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday morning, Scotland’s First Minster described it as a “black day for Scotland,” while adding “but it is also St Andrews Day and we can take pride in how we respond to adversity”.

Prime Minister David Cameron also praised the help of individuals who raced to the scene of the accident to offer support.

“I want to thank the emergency services who worked tirelessly throughout the night and I also want to pay tribute to the bravery of the ordinary Glaswegians who rushed to help.

‘We have offered the Scottish Government our support in any way we can and we are all wishing a speedy recovery to those who are injured.”

It is thought that approximately 120 people were in the pub at the time of the crash. The majority of people were rescued or escaped, but others were trapped by a collapse on the left-hand side of the building.

Today was supposed to be a day of celebration and rejoice in Scotland to mark St Andrew’s Day. However, many parades and celebrations have been called off as a mark of respect for the victims. A minute of silence was also held at a football match between Falkirk and Rangers prior to the match.

This is not the first time a police helicopter has crashed in Scotland. In 1990 poor weather conditions caused a crash killing a police sergeant and in 2002, a helicopter came down in a field but luckily all three people on board survived.

The situation in Glasgow is ongoing and a full investigation will now happen to establish the cause of the accident.

::Police Scotland Casualty Bureau number is 0800 092 0410 – for those concerned about relatives.

photo credit: geishaboy500 via photopin cc

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