A barge which sank - killing 26 people - was overloaded and sinking hours before the disaster, an inquest heard.

Engineer Graham Wheeler told Bradford Coroner's Court that crew members had frantically tried to pump out water from the vessel which, he said, had been floating below it's maximum load level.

The barge, known as DB29, capsized in the South China Sea on August 15, 1991, leading to the death of Stephen Hardy, of Moor Lane, Gomersal, who was trapped in a diving bell below the barge with three other divers. Another 22 crew members on board died as the barge floundered after becoming caught up in typhoon Fred.

Mr Wheeler, who had travelled to Bradford from New Zealand to give evidence, told the court the boat was only inches above its Plimsoll line before taking pipes and other equipment on deck from another ship.

When Mr Wheeler took up his post the evening before the tragedy, the barge was being towed in an attempt to avoid the typhoon but a main tank in the vessel's stern had filled with water 18 feet deep. Despite attempts to pump out the water it could not be cleared and it seeped into other chambers, pulling the barge down deeper.

Mr Wheeler, who had no formal merchant naval qualifications, said: "The barge became more unstable and the force of the sea made things on deck come loose. I was up by the crane and I could see the whole port stern of the barge was under water prior to the capsize."

There was a book on board with information about how to stabilise the ship, but it had not been used, he said.

The hearing continues.

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