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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 one of the Devonport-based vessel's oxygen generators had exploded. | Coroner Derek Winter told the hearing one of the Devonport-based vessel's oxygen generators had exploded. |
| Mr Winter, coroner for Sunderland, said: "This was a traumatic and terrifying event for all on board the submarine." name="link"> | |
| See where on the submarine the explosion happened | |
| The generator, one of several hundred on board, was activated by the two submariners dropping a chemical briquette into a container, causing oxygen to be released. | The generator, one of several hundred on board, was activated by the two submariners dropping a chemical briquette into a container, causing oxygen to be released. |
| The inquest is expected to last for six weeks | The inquest is expected to last for six weeks |
| It exploded immediately after they started the process, according to stores accountant Richard Holleworth who was working in the same area. | It exploded immediately after they started the process, according to stores accountant Richard Holleworth 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 Holleworth gave first aid but his resuscitation attempts failed, the coroner said. | Mr Holleworth gave first aid but his resuscitation attempts failed, the coroner said. |
| Defective stock | Defective stock |
| 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 from Royal Navy investigator Lt Andy Billings, who said tests showed the self-contained oxygen generators (scogs) could be dangerous if not stored carefully and kept in perfect condition. | The inquest also heard from Royal Navy investigator Lt Andy Billings, who said tests showed the self-contained oxygen generators (scogs) could be dangerous if not stored carefully and kept in perfect condition. |
| He said 21% of the vessel's unused stock of 730 scogs had subsequently been shown to be defective. | He said 21% of the vessel's unused stock of 730 scogs had subsequently been shown to be defective. |
| Anthony Huntrod, left, and Paul McCann died in the explosion | Anthony Huntrod, left, and Paul McCann died in the explosion |
| The officer produced an example of a scog, weighing 25lb (11.5kg) and looking like a shiny metal flask. | The officer produced an example of a scog, weighing 25lb (11.5kg) and looking like a shiny metal flask. |
| Each one had a seal at the top which was removed before it was fired, setting off a chemical reaction to produce oxygen as well as a lot of heat, the coroner heard. | Each one had a seal at the top which was removed before it was fired, setting off a chemical reaction to produce oxygen as well as a lot of heat, the coroner heard. |
| HMS Tireless's commanding officer, Capt Iain Breckenridge, said the vessel carried both scogs for use on exercise and escape scogs which were untouchable. | HMS Tireless's commanding officer, Capt Iain Breckenridge, said the vessel carried both scogs for use on exercise and escape scogs which were untouchable. |
| He said he did not know exactly where they were stored, but that he trusted his crew to make sure the vessel was in order. | He said he did not know exactly where they were stored, but that he trusted his crew to make sure the vessel was in order. |
| He added: "We had on board a large number of scogs because we were operating under ice. We were carrying extras. | He added: "We had on board a large number of scogs because we were operating under ice. We were carrying extras. |
| "Had it not been for the incident, we would have been under ice for another two weeks. | "Had it not been for the incident, we would have been under ice for another two weeks. |
| "There is not a lot of storage room on a sub so when you are packing up to go on a long deployment you use every little space available." | "There is not a lot of storage room on a sub so when you are packing up to go on a long deployment you use every little space available." |
| He said some of the scogs had been kept in the former potato store at the fore of the ship but he could not remember exactly where they all were. | He said some of the scogs had been kept in the former potato store at the fore of the ship but he could not remember exactly where they all were. |
| "Being the captain, you are dealing with a lot of bits and pieces and you trust the ship's company to do things correctly. My team let me know things were in order," he added. | "Being the captain, you are dealing with a lot of bits and pieces and you trust the ship's company to do things correctly. My team let me know things were in order," he added. |
| The inquest is being heard at Sunderland's Regus Centre without a jury. | The inquest is being heard at Sunderland's Regus Centre without a jury. |
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