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Scotland helicopter pilot made no calls before crash

December 2, 2013  By The Associated Press

Dec. 2, 2013, Glasgow, Scotland - The pilot of a Scottish police helicopter did not put out any emergency calls before crashing through the roof of a crowded Glasgow pub killing nine people, investigators said Monday.


Authorities used a crane to remove the wreckage of the helicopter
from the roof of The Clutha pub where it crashed on Friday night.

The helicopter's crew — a civilian pilot and two police officers on
board — died in the accident. Six other people died. Officials have not
ruled out the possibility of finding more fatalities in the rubble.

David Miller, deputy chief inspector of Air Accident Investigations,
did not offer a cause for the crash Monday, saying the probe is just
beginning.

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"We just haven't had a chance yet to have a detailed look at the systems," he told reporters.

Miller said there was no data recorder on board and that the pilot
did not make emergency transmissions. There was no explosion or fire, he
said.

He said investigators will analyze the helicopter's systems and radar
data — which can tell the height and speed of the helicopter in the
latter stages of its flight — for clues about what brought the aircraft
down.

Authorities say 12 people remain hospitalized with injuries from the accident, three of whom are in intensive care.

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