From RCIPS Sat, Nov 30, 2013 at 9:32 AM

The RCIPS joins with policing services throughout the world in sending condolences to all of those involved in the police helicopter crash in Glasgow, Scotland, last night.

The helicopter involved is the same model as the one which is used by the RCIPS Air Operations Unit  – a Eurocopter EC135.

This type of accident is extremely rare and this particular model of helicopter has an exceptional safety record. The RCIPS is in direct contact with the manufacturer and as soon as the cause of the crash is known that information will be made available to us.

Safety is of paramount importance to the RCIPS and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and take any required action. In the meantime, the RCIPS helicopter remains operational.

Related story:

It has been confirmed 8 now dead, 32 hospitalized after helicopter crashes into Scotland pub

From FOX News Published November 30, 2013 FoxNews.com

A police helicopter crashed into a bustling pub in Glasgow, Scotland late Friday night, killing at least one person and leaving 32 others hospitalized as emergency crews desperately worked through the night to rescue an unknown number of people trapped inside the shaky building.

Chief constable Stephen House says the number of fatalities is expected to rise.

“Sadly at this time I can also confirm one fatality,” he told reporters. “We expect that number to increase over the coming hours.”

House said specialist teams are working to make sure everyone is recovered from the scene, where revelers were packed into the pub to hear a local ska band when the helicopter crashed through the roof.

Police couldn’t say whether people were still trapped inside the pub, but the hope is to find survivors, he said.

“Highly trained firefighters from all over Scotland are carrying out rescue operations at the scene,” House said. “They are continuing to make the building safe to allow full examination of the scene to ensure that everyone is recovered.”

There were no immediate reports on the fate of the two police officers and civilian pilot onboard the Eurocopter EC135 T2 that plunged into the building.

“Given an incident of this scale, we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities,” said Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish National Party and first minister of Scotland.

Photos taken at the scene on Stockwell Street, located near the banks of the River Clyde, showed a helicopter smashed into the roof of The Clutha pub. The crash, which occurred around 10:30 p.m., appeared to cave in parts of the bar’s roof.

Witnesses described a noisy, dusty scene inside the popular bar, where about 120 people were listening to a band.

Labour party spokesman Jim Murphy, who was present at the scene, helped pull people out of the pub.

“I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub,” he told Sky News. “It is a horrible, horrible scene.”

He added that people had formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that “inch by inch, we could get the people out.”

Fraser Gibson, 34, who was inside the pub, described to the BBC what he said sounded like “a giant explosion.”

“Part of the room was covered in dust. We didn’t know what had happened. We froze for a second; there was panic and then people trying to get out the door.”

He estimated that there were perhaps 120 people inside the bar at the time of the crash.

“There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion,” said Gordon Smart, editor of the Scottish edition of the Sun newspaper. “It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering.”

Claire Morris, who lives near the Clutha bar, told BBC News: “We heard this bang. We didn’t really know what had happened and then we heard people coming out and screaming.

“I wasn’t sure whether there had been an explosion. My daughter said to me it was a helicopter that had hit the roof.

“Police are everywhere. We are just very shaken.”

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow — and the emergency services working tonight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For more on this story go to: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/30/helicopter-crashes-into-scotland-pub/

* The Guardian UK are reporting “At least three people were feared dead” Go to: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/29/helicopter-crashes-roof-glasgow-pub

PHOTO: Scene of the police helicopter crash at the Clutha Vaults bar in Glasgow. Photograph: Jan Hollands/PA