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Inquests shown aftermath videos of 7 July train bombing | Inquests shown aftermath videos of 7 July train bombing |
(40 minutes later) | |
Passengers whose train stopped next to one blown up at Edgware Road in 2005 tried to help the injured, the inquests into the 7 July bombings have heard. | |
Suicide bombs were detonated on three London Underground trains and a bus on 7 July 2005, killing 52 people. | |
The inquests were also shown graphic footage of the aftermath of the attacks at Edgware Road and Aldgate. | |
Counsel to the inquests Hugo Keith QC said passengers' bodies had been found lying on the tracks. | Counsel to the inquests Hugo Keith QC said passengers' bodies had been found lying on the tracks. |
During the hearing, Mr Keith gave further details about those who had died in the Edgware Road explosion. | During the hearing, Mr Keith gave further details about those who had died in the Edgware Road explosion. |
They included David Foulkes, 22, who was set to begin a new job working for the Guardian newspaper and Jennifer Nicholson, 24, who worked for a publishing company and whose body was found lying on the tracks. | They included David Foulkes, 22, who was set to begin a new job working for the Guardian newspaper and Jennifer Nicholson, 24, who worked for a publishing company and whose body was found lying on the tracks. |
Mr Keith said she was blown out of the second carriage by the force of the bomb which obliterated the doors on either side. | Mr Keith said she was blown out of the second carriage by the force of the bomb which obliterated the doors on either side. |
Mr Keith said the body of the bomber, Mohammad Sidique Khan, was blown to pieces. Part of his body was found under the carriage. | |
The police video footage showed how Khan's bomb, which had been hidden in his rucksack, had blown apart much of the train. | |
Mr Keith said the six people who were killed on the Edgware Road train died before they could be treated by emergency services and that off-duty medical staff were shouting instructions to those attempting resuscitation. | |
He said: "As the bombed westbound and eastbound train came to rest alongside one another the horror of what had occurred became plain to the occupants of the other train. | |
"At first they heard cries of anguish and for help but once the smoke had cleared the view, it was clearly just inches away. | |
"Occupants of the eastbound train, unable to open the carriage doors, exited through a smashed window and clambered across tracks to help. | |
"Joining them in the second carriage were passengers from other carriages. | |
"These individuals, alongside occupants of the bombed carriage, assisted the injured and dying prior to the arrival of the emergency services." | |
He said that helpers were forced to try to swing from the handrails as they tried to reach those who were hurt. | |
He then spoke about the bomb planted on a Piccadilly line train travelling south from King's Cross station to Russell Square and said the number of people killed on it - 26 - was double that of Aldgate and Edgware because it had been "packed". | |
He said it had been carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 passengers, with one passenger saying she had never seen so many people in one tube carriage before. | He said it had been carrying between 1,000 and 1,500 passengers, with one passenger saying she had never seen so many people in one tube carriage before. |
The video of the train, filmed at 2119 that evening, was then shown. | The video of the train, filmed at 2119 that evening, was then shown. |
The inquest also heard that seven passengers were killed at Aldgate and was also shown an emergency services video taken hours after the attacks which outlined the devastation caused to the train in the tunnel. | |
The first two days of the inquests have raised questions about how quickly the emergency services responded to each of the underground bombs. | The first two days of the inquests have raised questions about how quickly the emergency services responded to each of the underground bombs. |
But on Tuesday the families saw the scale of what the first responders were confronted with underground. | But on Tuesday the families saw the scale of what the first responders were confronted with underground. |
The heavily edited films of the scenes three Tube bombings are a terrible scene of destruction, loss of life and major injury. | The heavily edited films of the scenes three Tube bombings are a terrible scene of destruction, loss of life and major injury. |
But what's also become clear is that those closest to the blast did not flinch in coming to each other's aid. | But what's also become clear is that those closest to the blast did not flinch in coming to each other's aid. |
There were attempts to save lives in the darkness, smoke and soot - individual acts of humanity amid grave personal danger. | There were attempts to save lives in the darkness, smoke and soot - individual acts of humanity amid grave personal danger. |
Elizabeth Kenworthy, a passenger at Aldgate, used her jacket and a belt to make tourniquets for two of the critically injured. | Elizabeth Kenworthy, a passenger at Aldgate, used her jacket and a belt to make tourniquets for two of the critically injured. |
And the driver, Timothy Batkin, and four station staff went into the dark to form a human chain to rescue as many as possible. | And the driver, Timothy Batkin, and four station staff went into the dark to form a human chain to rescue as many as possible. |
Mr Keith QC said staff there acted promptly to deal with the "horror that had occurred". | |
Mr Keith said the Aldgate bomber, Shehzad Tanweer, had been standing in the second carriage when he detonated his device, hidden in a rucksack. | |
It blew a hole in the floor but the train continued moving a short distance before coming to a halt. | |
Mr Keith said the driver, Timothy Batkin, could hear the screams of passengers in the carriages behind him but his initial mayday calls went unanswered. | |
He eventually used his own mobile phone to raise the alarm. This was possible because the train was in a shallow section of the underground. | |
Hours after all the casualties were removed from the train, emergency services returned underground to video the scene. | |
Carriage doors can be seen, blown out, with shattered glass from windows and the interior of the carriage completely wrecked. | Carriage doors can be seen, blown out, with shattered glass from windows and the interior of the carriage completely wrecked. |
Each scene on the film shows the personal belongings of passengers, which had been left behind. | Each scene on the film shows the personal belongings of passengers, which had been left behind. |
The Aldgate bomb detonated in a wide section of track, rather than a tight tunnel, which meant wreckage was strewn for some distance. | The Aldgate bomb detonated in a wide section of track, rather than a tight tunnel, which meant wreckage was strewn for some distance. |
Families of the deceased were in court to see the videos. | |
The video shown in court was heavily edited to minimise the distress but it was still clear that it was the scene of a major loss of life. | The video shown in court was heavily edited to minimise the distress but it was still clear that it was the scene of a major loss of life. |
Earlier Mr Keith had detailed to the inquests a string of delays getting emergency services to the scene of each underground bomb attack. | Earlier Mr Keith had detailed to the inquests a string of delays getting emergency services to the scene of each underground bomb attack. |
But referring specifically to the scene at Aldgate, he said the driver, Mr Batkin, and staff on the platform acted quickly. | But referring specifically to the scene at Aldgate, he said the driver, Mr Batkin, and staff on the platform acted quickly. |
"Those on the scene acted promptly to respond and to notify the emergency services of the horror that had occurred," he said. | "Those on the scene acted promptly to respond and to notify the emergency services of the horror that had occurred," he said. |
He said one of the emergency radio channels stopped working. | He said one of the emergency radio channels stopped working. |
Mr Keith said this contributed to problems the emergency services had communicating with each other. | Mr Keith said this contributed to problems the emergency services had communicating with each other. |
Coroner Lady Justice Hallett is examining how each victim died and whether MI5 could have stopped the bombers. Many families still want a public inquiry. | Coroner Lady Justice Hallett is examining how each victim died and whether MI5 could have stopped the bombers. Many families still want a public inquiry. |
In addition to those killed, some 700 people were injured, many of them severely and permanently, when four al-Qaeda-backed suicide bombers, all British men, detonated their devices. | In addition to those killed, some 700 people were injured, many of them severely and permanently, when four al-Qaeda-backed suicide bombers, all British men, detonated their devices. |
On Monday Mr Keith said bombers Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain had unleashed an "unimaginably dreadful wave of horror". | On Monday Mr Keith said bombers Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shehzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain had unleashed an "unimaginably dreadful wave of horror". |
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