The families of four marine divers who died when a barge sank in the South China Sea have claimed their employers hampered an inquest by withholding vital information.

The claims came after verdicts of misadventure were recorded against the deaths of Bradford man Stephen Hardy and three colleagues who died after a decompression chamber became trapped beneath the barge during Typhoon Fred in 1991.

Coroner James Turnbull told the court his investigation was hampered by problems gathering witnesses seven years on.

But, in a statement after the seven-day hearing, the families spoke of their disappointment at the failure of marine construction company McDermott International to provide a representative fully aware of facts surrounding the tragedy.

"We are pleased the coroner's inquest finally concluded after seven years of waiting and needless suffering," they said. "We still believe that not all of the facts have come out because McDermott have refused to disclose a large amount of material to the coroner.

"No member of the McDermott management with any knowledge of the material facts attended the inquest and the coroner specifically referred to the difficulties this presented.

"It is clear from the coroner's findings there were serious failings in the operation of the barge and this led directly to the needless deaths of the divers and others."

Mr Turnbull ruled father-of-five Mr Hardy, 33, from Moor Lane, Gomersal, had died of salt water drowning after escaping the diving bell. The men, who were working 380ft underwater on the seabed, were decompressing 35ft below the surface when barge DB29 floundered on August 15, 1991.

Terence Dennison, 46, of Hull, and Leonard Barringer, 46, of Essex, were also ruled to have died from drowning.

Diver Brian Sheppard, 44, of Pembrokeshire, who died of asphyxia after remaining in the chamber, was not found for two months.

The inquest had heard the 128 metre barge, which had a crew of 195 people, capsized after ballast tanks filled with water.

As crew fought to pump out water, a ten-tonne anchor buoy and pump on deck broke loose in the typhoon, smashing holes in the barge which led to flooding in a pump room.

Despite the discovery of water 18ft deep in the ballast tank a distress call was not given.

And, Mr Turnbull said, the tragedy could have been avoided if tugs had pulled the flat-bottomed barge - which was thought unsinkable - to safety earlier.

"One wonders whether being so sure of the barge's stability, that perhaps too much trust was put in that when difficulties arose," he said, adding that poorly secured equipment on deck had proved a fatal factor in the tragedy.

Mr Hardy's mother, Margaret Hardy, of Wyke, said she was glad the inquest was over so her family could lay the matter to rest.

"It's been a long time," she said. "Whatever the verdict of the inquest it won't bring our son back. We won't be taking this further."

Rickey Oehrlein, vice-president of US-based J. Ray McDermott and the man ultimately responsible for the DB29, said safety on board company barges had been improved.

"We extend our sympathy to the families of those lost and we deeply regret this accident," he said.

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