A man died as a result of handling asbestos in the Merchant Navy, an inquest heard.
John Glanville, 59, of Dawn Crescent, Upper Beeding, died at St Barnabas Hospice in Columbia Drive, Worthing, on June 11.
West Sussex Assistant Deputy Coroner Martin Milward, at a hearing in Worthing Hospital, recorded a verdict of natural death.
Mr Glanville's wife Susanna said her husband had begun working in the Merchant Navy as a deck boy when he was 15.
She said Mr Glanville had spent Christmas 2002 working in Africa and came home in January this year "with a terrible cough".
She said: "It was not a normal cough - something was obviously wrong. He came into Worthing Hospital in April and had antibiotics."
Mrs Glanville confirmed her husband's duties at sea had included maintaining pipe work which was lagged with asbestos.
Mr Glanville died two days after being admitted to the hospice.
Pathologist Dr Jeremy Grant said the cause of death was malignant mesothelioma commonly linked with asbestos poisoning.
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