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| Crew 'fought to save submariners' | Crew 'fought to save submariners' |
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| Submariners battled for 40 minutes to try to rescue two trapped colleagues after an explosion under ice 200 miles north of Alaska, an inquest has heard. | Submariners battled for 40 minutes to try to rescue two trapped colleagues after an explosion under ice 200 miles north of Alaska, an inquest has heard. |
| Mechanics Anthony Huntrod, 20, from Sunderland, and Paul McCann, 32, from Halesowen, West Midlands, died on an exercise on HMS Tireless in March 2007. | Mechanics Anthony Huntrod, 20, from Sunderland, and Paul McCann, 32, from Halesowen, West Midlands, died on an exercise on HMS Tireless in March 2007. |
| An inquest, due to last for six weeks, opened in Sunderland on Tuesday. | An inquest, due to last for six weeks, opened in Sunderland on Tuesday. |
| Coroner Derek Winter told the hearing that the vessel's self-contained oxygen generator had exploded. | Coroner Derek Winter told the hearing that the vessel's self-contained oxygen generator had exploded. |
| Mr Winter, coroner for Sunderland, said: "This was a traumatic and terrifying event for all on board the submarine." | Mr Winter, coroner for Sunderland, said: "This was a traumatic and terrifying event for all on board the submarine." |
| The generator was activated by the two submariners dropping a chemical briquette into a container, causing oxygen to be released. | The generator was activated by the two submariners dropping a chemical briquette into a container, causing oxygen to be released. |
| Doors buckled | Doors buckled |
| It exploded immediately after they started the process, according to stores accountant Richard Hallworth who was working in the same area. | It exploded immediately after they started the process, according to stores accountant Richard Hallworth who was working in the same area. |
| The inquest heard the compartment filled with smoke and the blast caused hatch doors to close and buckle, trapping the two men. | The inquest heard the compartment filled with smoke and the blast caused hatch doors to close and buckle, trapping the two men. |
| A rescue party arrived moments later. | A rescue party arrived moments later. |
| Mr Winter said: "The evidence is that they worked very hard to gain access, however it took 40 minutes to break open the doors." | Mr Winter said: "The evidence is that they worked very hard to gain access, however it took 40 minutes to break open the doors." |
| Mr Hallworth gave first aid but his resuscitation attempts failed, the coroner said. | Mr Hallworth gave first aid but his resuscitation attempts failed, the coroner said. |
| The submarine surfaced through a patch of thin ice and the bodies were taken to a nearby ice station. | The submarine surfaced through a patch of thin ice and the bodies were taken to a nearby ice station. |
| Post-mortem examinations revealed Mr Huntrod died from multiple injuries and Mr McCann of carbon monoxide poisoning. | Post-mortem examinations revealed Mr Huntrod died from multiple injuries and Mr McCann of carbon monoxide poisoning. |
| The inquest also heard that tests carried out on oxygen generators could be dangerous if the devices had not been stored carefully and kept in perfect condition. | The inquest also heard that tests carried out on oxygen generators could be dangerous if the devices had not been stored carefully and kept in perfect condition. |
| The inquest, which is being heard at the Regus Centre without a jury, is expected to last about six weeks. |