Tragic Mishap Downs Japanese Trawler
As hopes of finding survivors faded, anguished relatives of the nine Japanese missing after a surfacing U.S. submarine sank their trawler off Hawaii pleaded to have the wreck raised so they could discover if it was the tomb of their loved ones. The request -- also being pushed strongly by the Japanese government -- was forwarded to top U.S. government officials, but a key investigator said he saw no reason at present to recover the 499-ton Ehime Maru from its watery grave 1,800 ft. (548 m) below the ocean surface. Addressing reporters on Sunday night for the first time since arriving in Hawaii, National Transportation Safety Board investigator John Hammerschmidt said he did not believe it was necessary to bring the ship up to discover accident details…
Navy Hearing Pushed To March 5
The U.S. Navy bowed to a request from the captain of the Greeneville and set a March 5 hearing date for an official inquiry into the disaster in which the nuclear sub slammed into a Japanese fishing trawler, leaving nine people missing, presumed dead. Lawyers for Cmdr. Scott Waddle had asked the Navy to delay a court of inquiry, originally due to begin on Thursday, into the fatal collision to give them more time to prepare. A Navy spokesman told reporters on Thursday that the Navy had acceded to the March 5 request after initially moving the date back to Monday, Feb. 26. The court of inquiry will determine whether disciplinary action should be taken against Waddle and two other officers in the Feb.
