2 More Funerals For Victims Of Clutha

The funerals of two further victims of a helicopter crash which killed nine people will take place today.

Colin Gibson and Robert Jenkins were inside the Clutha pub in Glasgow when a police helicopter crashed through the roof on November 29. 

Mr Gibson, 33, was in the pub to celebrate a friend's birthday, while Mr Jenkins was with his partner Mary Kavanagh. 

She escaped uninjured. 

The service for Mr Gibson is to be held in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, while Mr Jenkins, 61, will be remembered in Glasgow. 

Mr Gibson's family thanked the emergency services and passers-by who tried to help people out of the pub after the crash. 

In a statement released through Police Scotland, they said: ``As Colin's family we would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to the emergency services who attended the scene of the tragic accident. We also thank the members of the public who instinctively disregarded their own safety to help others. 

``We appreciate the painstaking challenge faced by the rescue workers who worked tirelessly in these very difficult and harrowing circumstances. We greatly appreciate the support and guidance provided to us at this distressing time by the police liaison officers.'' 

Mr Jenkins's family visited the scene of the crash last week to leave flowers, with one message reading: ''Robert, there are no words to express the loss felt by everyone who knew you. You were such a gentleman.'' 

A family statement said he was a loving father to daughters Claire and Elaine and a devoted brother to Fiona. 

It said: ``Robert was an especially kind, warm and funny man with many friends, he was a retired administration worker with Scottish Gas and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.'' 

The families of both victims asked that their privacy is respected. 

It has not yet been established what caused the helicopter to fall from the sky, although investigators say initial evidence rules out engine or gear box failure. 

Six funerals have already been held for others who died in the tragedy. 

Helicopter pilot David Traill, 51, was remembered at a service at Glasgow University on Saturday and hundreds of police officers attended funerals for Pc Tony Collins, 43, on the Isle of Arran, and Pc Kirsty Nelis, 36, in Glasgow this week. 

Tributes were paid to pub customer John McGarrigle, 57, at a requiem mass in Castlemilk, while the funerals of Mark O'Prey, 44, from East Kilbride, and Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, were held on Monday. 

The other victim was 56-year-old Samuel McGhee.