Tragic sailor was set to marry

Mar 23 2007 By Jasbir Authi, Birmingham Mail

A MIDLAND sailor killed in an explosion aboard a nuclear submarine was planning to leave the Navy and marry within weeks, it emerged today.

Leading operator mechanic Paul McCann, aged 32, from Halesowen, and his crew-mate, 20-year-old Anthony Huntrod, died as their hunter-killer submarine HMS Tireless took part in an exercise beneath the Arctic ice cap on Wednesday.

A third crewman, suffering the effects of smoke inhalation, was airlifted to safety after the submarine dramatically surfaced through the ice.

Mr McCann had served aboard HMS Tireless for three years and had recently applied to leave the Navy and marry his American fiancee Julie and move to her home city of Philadelphia.

The keen sportsman and Birmingham City supporter represented the Navy at cricket and played rugby for the Old Halesowians and Plymouth Command.

Yesterday, Mr McCann's mother Pauline, father Brian and sister Sharon, released a statement in which they described him as "a caring and gentle man who loved his family and was a great uncle to Indea and Lotte."

His mother added she "couldn't have wished for a better son". He had only wanted to leave England because he wanted to live with his fiancee, they added.

Iain Breckenridge, commanding officer of HMS Tireless, said: "He was simply the kind of man a commanding officer could call on at any time and in any circumstances. His exuberance, good humour and huge personality are greatly missed by all of his shipmates."

Commander Breckenridge said his thoughts were with LOM McCann's family and friends.

Operator maintainer Huntrod, from Sunderland, joined the Navy in 2005, and joined HMS Tireless in June 2006.

He had recently qualified as a submariner on board HMS Tireless, gaining the coveted award of the Dolphins badge.

The US military said yesterday an emergency oxygen device was responsible for the explosion and a MoD investigation has been launched.