Japanese government officials boarded a U.S. Navy ship Monday to take a first-hand look at the Navy's survey of the sunken fishing vessel Ehime Maru.
Commissioned: Feb. 16, 1996
Los Angeles-class attack nuclear submarine
Homeported in Pearl Harbor in March 1997
Max crew: 130
Specs:
499 tons
190.8 feet long
30.5 feet wide
Max crew: 76
The Ehime Maru sits in 2,000 feet of water about ten miles south of Diamond Head. The Japanese government has asked the U.S. government to raise the ship so that it can retrieve the bodies of the nine sailors who are presumed dead in the ship's wreckage.
The group was led by the director of the oceans division of the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Hiroshi Sato. It also included a representative of a Japanese Salvage company.
Sato told reporters that he could not say whether he thought the Ehime Maru could be raised. But he did say that the ship appeared in a good position for salvage because it is sitting upright in the water.
Sato said he will report his findings to the Japanese government, which will then decided a course of action.
Discussions continue between the Japanese and U.S. government on the feasibility of salvaging the ship.
The Navy continues to survey the wreckage of the Ehime Maru using two unmanned submersibles, the Deep Drone and Scorpio II.
Previous Stories:
- February 25, 2001: Waddle Has 'Sincere Regret' About Collision
- February 24, 2001: Sub Investigation Could Widen
- February 22, 2001: Navy Court Of Inquiry Could Be Delayed
- February 20, 2001: Navy Likely To Raise Ehime Maru
- February 20, 2001: Sub Mishap Survivors Still Haunted
- February 19, 2001: Sucess Of Raising Ehime Maru 'Questionable'
- February 19, 2001: Robot Sub Hauled Out For Repairs
- February 19, 2001: Tennessee Town Supports Sub Crew
- February 16, 2001: Search Continues While NTSB Interviews Sub Crew
- February 15, 2001: Police Warn Of Sub Victim Fund Scam
- February 15, 2001: Japanese Outraged Over Sub Revelation
- February 15, 2001: Two Island Residents On Greeneville
- February 14, 2001: Sub Captain Could Face Criminal Inquiry
- February 13, 2001: Ehime Maru Crew Describes Disaster
- February 12, 2001: Bush Offers Prayer For Sub Victims
- February 12, 2001: NTSB Begins Sub Collision Probe
- February 11, 2001: Ehime Maru Captain Speaks
- February 11, 2001: Sub Commander Reassigned As Search Continues
- February 11, 2001: Sub Collided During Emergency Maneuver
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