LONDON — A police helicopter crashed Friday night through the roof of a pub in Glasgow, sending injured revelers who were there to see a ska band fleeing in what witnesses called a scene of horror.
First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed that a police chopper was involved in the crash, saying that rescue efforts at The Clutha pub were in full swing.
“Scottish resilience operation now mobilized,” he said on his official Twitter account. “Given an incident of this scale, we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities.”
The helicopter had a crew of three — two police officers and a civilian pilot, according to Scottish police. Police said the aircraft came down about 10:25 p.m. local time. Emergency services responded immediately.
There were reports that people might have been trapped inside, but they could not be immediately confirmed. Glasgow ska band Esperanza were playing when the helicopter fell through the ceiling, witnesses said.
