Grieving father comforts Clutha pilot’s sister: He wasn’t to blame
THE father of a Clutha victim phoned pilot David Traill’s stepsister to apologise for a ‘whitewash’ report that blamed the airman for the disaster.
Gordon Arthur, 81, lost his 48-yearold son Gary when a police helicopter flown by Captain Traill fell through the roof of the Glasgow pub, killing ten people, on November 29, 2013.
Now it has emerged that the grieving pensioner contacted Evelyn Mitchell to say he did not agree with the report, published on Wednesday, that pointed the finger at her stepbrother.
She told the Scottish Sun: ‘I thought it was quite amazing that he took time out from his own hurt to think of our side.
‘It was very comforting to speak to him. It takes a pretty special person to take the time and show the kindness when he’s also suffering a loss.
‘I’ve had support from the other families but to go out of his way to get my number then have a long conversation is very special.’
The 60-year-old added that her cousin was moved to tears after hearing of Mr Arthur’s phone call.
The publication of Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull’s findings marked the end of an inquiry which took more than five years to open and involved 14 weeks of evidence.
It concluded that Mr Traill was responsible because he took a chance and ‘ignored’ several fuel warnings, an accusation rejected by many families of the victims.
On Wednesday, Mrs Mitchell wrote on Facebook: ‘David would have put both his life and limb before his own safety if it was in any way a danger to civilians.’
Mr Arthur, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, said: ‘We decided as a family we wanted to contact Evelyn to say sorry.
‘We thought we should make clear we don’t think it’s fair how David was blamed. I called and said, “I felt I had to phone you and give you some support”.
‘She was very pleased to hear from me. We spoke for about ten minutes. She thanked me for taking an interest in them because they’ve felt really out the picture.
I feel like I’ve given someone a bit of back-up and helped them.’
After the report was published, Mr Arthur criticised the aircraft’s operator Bond, since taken over by Babcock.
He added: ‘I told her [Mrs Mitchell] I don’t have any bad feelings towards anyone in this apart from Bond, now Babcock.’
Gary’s sister Kim has also been in touch with Mrs Mitchell to suggest Captain Traill had been made a ‘scapegoat’.
Mrs Mitchell claimed the inquiry’s findings ignored evidence alleging that the helicopter – which crashed after its supply tanks ran dry – may have had faulty fuel gauges.
The Clutha customers who died were Mr Arthur; Joe Cusker, 59; Colin Gibson, 33; Robert Jenkins, 61; John McGarrigle, 58; Samuel McGhee, 56, and Mark O’Prey, 44.
Mr Trail and his crew members – PC Tony Collins, 43, and PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, also lost their lives. Another 31 people were injured.
A spokesman for Babcock said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the families and friends of those who lost their lives and those who were touched by the terrible events of that night.’