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Sub deaths caused by 'failures' Sub deaths caused by 'failures'
(40 minutes later)
An explosion which killed two British submariners was caused by "systematic failures", a coroner has ruled. An explosion which killed two British submariners was caused by "systemic failures", a coroner has ruled.
Anthony Huntrod, 20, from Sunderland and Paul McCann, 32, from Halesowen in the West Midlands, died aboard HMS Tireless during an exercise in 2007.Anthony Huntrod, 20, from Sunderland and Paul McCann, 32, from Halesowen in the West Midlands, died aboard HMS Tireless during an exercise in 2007.
A self-contained oxygen generator (Scog) blew up while the submarine was under hundreds of feet of Arctic ice.A self-contained oxygen generator (Scog) blew up while the submarine was under hundreds of feet of Arctic ice.
Coroner Derek Winter said he would write to the government urging action to avoid a similar incident.Coroner Derek Winter said he would write to the government urging action to avoid a similar incident.
HMS Tireless, a hunter-killer class sub, was sailing under the ice pack 170 miles north of Deadhorse, in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, when the accident happened. Devonport-based HMS Tireless, a hunter-killer class sub, was sailing under the ice pack 170 miles north of Deadhorse, in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, when the accident happened.
Where the explosion happened
The two mechanics were trapped in a forward escape by the explosion.The two mechanics were trapped in a forward escape by the explosion.
The mechanics were trapped in a forward compartment by the blast
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.
Mr Winter, the Sunderland Coroner, recorded a narrative verdict saying "systematic failures led to the contamination and damage" of the oxygen generators on board "which in turn caused the explosion". The mechanics were trapped in a forward compartment by the blast
Mr Winter, the Sunderland Coroner, recorded a narrative verdict, saying that "systemic failures led to the contamination and damage" of the oxygen generators on board "which in turn caused the explosion".
During the seven-week inquest the coroner heard that a batch of almost 1,000 Scogs left in a hazardous waste depot in Devonport were returned to Royal Navy service in 2006.
Mr Winter said it was "a significant possibility" that the Scog which exploded was one that had originally been sent to the dump.
He said: "There was a culture of complacency regarding the risks posed by Scogs and a tolerance of practices likely to increase those risks."
He said at Devonport the practices were much less rigorous than at the UK's other main nuclear submarine base at Faslane, Scotland.
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After the verdict Mr Huntrod's mother, Brenda Gooch, said: "In our opinion the coroner's verdict today does not do Anthony's death justice.
"We believe the disregard which the MoD and its employers had shown towards the safety of our son can only be justified as unlawful killing.
"Two young men died through a lack of duty to care for their safety. The complacency across the whole chain of acquisitions, storage and handling is unforgivable to us."
Speaking after the inquest Commodore Jake Moors said: "I, on behalf of the First Sea Lord, the entire Royal Navy and the submarine service would like to express our deepest sympathy to Mr and Mrs McCann, Mr Huntrod and Brenda Gooch for the loss of their sons in this tragic accident.Speaking after the inquest Commodore Jake Moors said: "I, on behalf of the First Sea Lord, the entire Royal Navy and the submarine service would like to express our deepest sympathy to Mr and Mrs McCann, Mr Huntrod and Brenda Gooch for the loss of their sons in this tragic accident.
"The Royal Navy police, the MoD police and the board of inquiry conducted an exhaustive investigation, the conclusions of which have been borne out by the coroner's verdict today.""The Royal Navy police, the MoD police and the board of inquiry conducted an exhaustive investigation, the conclusions of which have been borne out by the coroner's verdict today."
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