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Sub tragedy family slams MoD errors
"What price do you put on a life?"
The grieving family of submariner Anthony Huntrod have furiously hit out at the MoD and the Royal Navy for the scandal surrounding the death of their son.
His father Alan, from Town End Farm, Sunderland, made the comments after a coroner ruled that cost-cutting measures formed part of "systematic failures" which contributed to the 20-year-old's death, along with that of his colleague Paul McCann.
Alan, 50, said a decision to recycle potentially contaminated oxygen generators was akin to putting "potential bombs" on board submarines for unsuspecting servicemen to ignite.
Close to tears, Mr Huntrod and Anthony's mum Brenda Gooch, 47, consoled each other at a press conference after the six-week inquest into the tragedy, which happened two years ago.
The distraught couple described the problems with the generators as "woeful," "gross negligence," and "beggaring belief".
The couple said it "sits uncomfortably" with them that money was a factor in the critical decision to return potentially dangerous equipment to HMS Tireless, and that "Financial considerations should never be allowed to compromise safety."
Clearly still angry at how forces chiefs failed his son, Mr Huntrod added: "There's no way I would accept an apology from the MoD or Royal Navy for what they did to Anthony. No way.
"All personnel are just numbers to the MoD. They just treat people like dirt.
"They give them second hand equipment, recycled equipment. I've got no respect for them."
The inquest is still not the end of the matter, however.
A civil claim against the MoD is expected to be settled soon.
Also, the Health and Safety Executive is still believed to be investigating the incident at sea, and the logistical treatment of Scogs dockside.
The Crown Prosecution Service has previously said the evidence did not support bringing criminal charges, but Mrs Gooch is adamant that someone or organisation should be held to account.
"In our opinion the coroner's verdict today does not do Anthony's death justice," she said after the inquest.
"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.
"When will this Government and the MoD realise they are not above the law and that all Forces personnel regardless of at-war situations or peacetime operations, their safety must be paramount at all times."
Although the Navy has said it has taken action to prevent a reoccurrence of the Scog explosion on Tireless, Mr Huntrod is not convinced.
"I fear for the next submariner who has to light a Scog," he said. "I really do."
He also claimed that some submariners had refused to ignite them since the blast, "even if they were put on a charge for it."
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Weather for Sunderland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
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