'My dad's gone... he was sitting right in the spot where the helicopter came down'

 
Press Association30 November 2013

A 38-year-old man has said his father was killed in the Clutha pub police helicopter pub and was sitting "right in the spot" where the helicopter came down on the building in Glasgow city centre last night.

John McGarrigle, 38, speaking to BBC News from the scene, said his father is "probably lying underneath that helicopter".

He said: "The realisation, and just a deep instinct ... kicked in right away as soon as I heard there was an accident at Clutha. I just knew something bad had happened to him.

"When I came round and seen where the position of the helicopter (was) that was when I knew, because he sat in that spot all the time, where the 'copter hit.

"I am still shaking."

An eyewitness named Fiona told him what happened inside the pub, Mr McGarrigle said.

"An eyewitness account said my dad was sitting right in the spot where the 'copter hit," he said.

"Fiona walked into the toilet ... as she walked into the toilet, bang, the 'copter came in.

"When she came running out the door, my dad and Sammy were gone."

Mr McGarrigle said he unsuccessfully tried to get information from the accident helpline set up for those affected.

"I said my dad is dead, probably lying underneath that helicopter," he said.

"I could walk in there and pinpoint him myself in the rubble."

Police say at least one person has died in the accident but they have yet to be named.

A total of 32 people have been taken to hospital.

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