FAMILIES of the victims of the Clutha helicopter tragedy have condemned the “unacceptable” delay for an inquiry after law chiefs finally announced that one will be held.

Four years after 10 people died when a police helicopter crashed onto the roof of the Clutha pub in Glasgow, the Crown Office has formally instructed a Fatal Accident Inquiry into the disaster.

More than 100 people were enjoying a night out at the Clutha Vaults pub when the police helicopter, returning to its base on the banks of the River Clyde, crashed through the roof on November 29 2013.

Seven customers died - John McGarrigle, Mark O’Prey, Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, Samuel McGhee and Joe Cusker.

Helicopter pilot David Traill and crew Pc Tony Collins and Pc Kirsty Nelis were also killed.

An Air Accidents Investigation Branch report published in 2015 found two fuel supply switches were off and the pilot did not follow emergency procedures after a fuel warning in the cockpit.

Prosecutors said they “appreciate that the wait for a decision regarding proceedings must have been extremely difficult and stressful for those affected”.

The Crown Office said the police investigation involved a “significant volume” of documents and also relied on the co-operation of oversea agencies to make witnesses and material available.

But victims’ families have criticised the time taken for a decision to be made.

Andrew Henderson, a partner with Thompsons Solicitors, which represents many injury victims and families of those who died, said the length of wait for an inquiry was “unacceptable”.

He said: “While it will be welcome news for our clients that there is now some movement by the Crown Office on beginning the FAI process, it’s highly regrettable it has taken so long.

“The whole purpose of FAIs is to make recommendations that will stop similar tragedies happening in the future and therefore the process moving forward in a timely fashion is crucial.

“The fact that the inquiry is likely to begin almost five years after this awful accident is not acceptable.

“This again highlights what my law firm has long argued, which is that the whole FAI system in Scotland needs to be overhauled so that inquires are held more quickly and that bereaved families are at the very heart of the process. I still believe that this is not the case.”

Earlier this month damages were awarded to people injured in the crash and family members of those killed.

A reported £1.3 million was paid by the owners of the helicopter firm to 10 people injured, while cases brought by 16 others affected were settled for undisclosed amounts.

Compensation claims were made to Babcock for post-traumatic stress, serious brain or spinal injuries.

David Bell from law firm Irwin Mitchell Scotland, which represented 16 cases for damages, said: “Alongside our clients, we have long called for a fatal accident inquiry as we believe that there are more lessons to learn, both about the accident itself and its aftermath.

“One of the issues with this crash was the helicopter was not required to be fitted with a black box recorder which means vital data was not recorded.

“We think the regulations should be changed to ensure all smaller passenger aircraft are required to have black box recorders fitted.”