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| Swanland crew inquest hears account of its last minutes | Swanland crew inquest hears account of its last minutes |
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| An inquest into the deaths of six Russian sailors after a cargo ship sank off Gwynedd has heard a dramatic account of its last minutes. | An inquest into the deaths of six Russian sailors after a cargo ship sank off Gwynedd has heard a dramatic account of its last minutes. |
| The MV Swanland was taking a cargo of limestone from Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, to the Isle of Wight when it was hit by a massive wave during a gale. | The MV Swanland was taking a cargo of limestone from Llanddulas, near Colwyn Bay, to the Isle of Wight when it was hit by a massive wave during a gale. |
| Just two of the eight-man crew survived when the ship sank in November 2011. | Just two of the eight-man crew survived when the ship sank in November 2011. |
| Statements from the survivors said the vessel was hit by a big wave and an alarm prompted the crew to take action. | |
| The wreck was found one mile off the Welsh coast at a depth of 80 metres. | The wreck was found one mile off the Welsh coast at a depth of 80 metres. |
| Leonid Safonov, 50, Mikhail Starchevoy, 60, Oleg Andriets, 49, Gennadiy Meshkov, 52, Yury Shmelev, 44, and Sergey Kharchenko, 51, all died. | Leonid Safonov, 50, Mikhail Starchevoy, 60, Oleg Andriets, 49, Gennadiy Meshkov, 52, Yury Shmelev, 44, and Sergey Kharchenko, 51, all died. |
| The inquest in Caernarfon heard that Mr Safonov's body was the only one recovered and a post-mortem examination showed he had drowned. | The inquest in Caernarfon heard that Mr Safonov's body was the only one recovered and a post-mortem examination showed he had drowned. |
| North West Wales Senior Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones told the jury of seven he would be asking them to consider if the other men died in the same way. | North West Wales Senior Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones told the jury of seven he would be asking them to consider if the other men died in the same way. |
| Statements from the two surviving crewmen Roman Savin, 27, and Vitaliy Karpenko, 48, were read to the jury. | Statements from the two surviving crewmen Roman Savin, 27, and Vitaliy Karpenko, 48, were read to the jury. |
| Second officer Roman Savin said he was on the bridge in the early hours of 27 November, 2011 when the ship was hit by a wave. | Second officer Roman Savin said he was on the bridge in the early hours of 27 November, 2011 when the ship was hit by a wave. |
| He told the inquest he turned on the deck lights and could see the ship's mid-ship bulwark was bent. | He told the inquest he turned on the deck lights and could see the ship's mid-ship bulwark was bent. |
| He sounded the alarm and members of the crew began putting on their immersion suits, while the ship's captain sent a mayday message. | He sounded the alarm and members of the crew began putting on their immersion suits, while the ship's captain sent a mayday message. |
| As he and other crew gathered on deck he said "we felt a blow to the ship". | As he and other crew gathered on deck he said "we felt a blow to the ship". |
| Rough | Rough |
| "I was under the water. All I can remember is that I was trying to swim up." | "I was under the water. All I can remember is that I was trying to swim up." |
| On the surface he swam to a life-raft and climbed in before helping the other survivor Vitaliy Karpenko climb into the same craft. | On the surface he swam to a life-raft and climbed in before helping the other survivor Vitaliy Karpenko climb into the same craft. |
| They began shouting and whistling to attract the attention of other crew members but they did not spot any of them, the inquest heard. | They began shouting and whistling to attract the attention of other crew members but they did not spot any of them, the inquest heard. |
| In his statement, Mr Karpenko described the conditions as rough but he said "we have worked in worse conditions". | In his statement, Mr Karpenko described the conditions as rough but he said "we have worked in worse conditions". |
| The inquest also heard from master air crewman Richard Taylor, who was the winchman on a rescue helicopter stationed at RAF Valley. | The inquest also heard from master air crewman Richard Taylor, who was the winchman on a rescue helicopter stationed at RAF Valley. |
| He told the inquest the crew took off at 02:52 GMT, and having located the life-raft they searched for other survivors. They then picked up the two survivors and continued the search until about 05:30 GMT. | He told the inquest the crew took off at 02:52 GMT, and having located the life-raft they searched for other survivors. They then picked up the two survivors and continued the search until about 05:30 GMT. |
| "It was fairly rough so it was difficult conditions that night," he said. | "It was fairly rough so it was difficult conditions that night," he said. |
| Paul Mangnall, the supervisor at Raynes Jetty where the ship docked, told the inquest it was loaded in the same way as it had been on other occasions. | Paul Mangnall, the supervisor at Raynes Jetty where the ship docked, told the inquest it was loaded in the same way as it had been on other occasions. |
| Glyn Aled Jones, a part-time shipping agent with responsibility for sorting paperwork regarding the ship and her load, said there was nothing unusual with the ship or the loading of it that day. | Glyn Aled Jones, a part-time shipping agent with responsibility for sorting paperwork regarding the ship and her load, said there was nothing unusual with the ship or the loading of it that day. |
| The hearing in Caernarfon is expected to last three days. | The hearing in Caernarfon is expected to last three days. |