Sub captain chooses silence

Periscope depth, timing may be key factors in inquiry
Court of inquiry's admirals bring broad range of expertise
Case presents unusual challenge for interpreters
A Tribute to the Missing
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The captain of the fast-attack submarine that rammed a Japanese training vessel met with National Transportation Safety Board investigators last weekend but declined to answer questions pending the outcome of an unusual court of inquiry at Pearl Harbor on Thursday.

This video photograph shows part of the superstructure of the Ehime Maru. Photo special from Yomiuri Shimbun

Cmdr. Scott Waddle told the NTSB he will answer only written questions about the subsequent search and rescue efforts, said John Hammerschmidt, an NTSB member with the investigating team in Hawai‘i.

"On advice of his counsel, he said he didn’t want to make a statement or answer any questions at this time," Hammerschmidt said yesterday. "He didn’t want to talk to the NTSB until he clears his investigative problems with the Navy."

A probe into the sinking of the Japanese fishing vessel shouldn’t be hampered by the submarine captain’s refusal to talk to investigators, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said yesterday.

The captain’s perspective is considered crucial to understanding the events leading to the collision, but safety board investigators can’t force people to speak to them, NTSB spokesman Ted Lopatkiewiscz said.

“Our investigations tend to take more than a year,” he said. “We’re hopeful that the opportunity (to interview Waddle) will present itself.”

Waddle’s stance seems prudent, according to Eric Seitz, a Honolulu lawyer who has handled military cases for 35 years but is not involved with Waddle’s case.

"Anytime you have multiple investigations, one of which might lead to criminal charges, you have to be careful what you say and to whom," Seitz said. "From the lawyer’s standpoint, the Navy investigation is paramount because it could lead to criminal charges and administrative charges pertaining to his status in the Navy."

Waddle doesn’t face any new legal problems by declining to speak to the NTSB, Seitz said, unless the Navy orders him to. "Agencies like the national safety board are used to this in cases that might lead to charges," Seitz said.

But the court of inquiry awaiting Waddle, his executive officer and the officer of the deck of the USS Greeneville, is both unusual and "a very big deal," Seitz said.

"This is a serious incident," he said. "Sometimes you have these investigations conducted at lower levels by lower commands. With all of the pressure on this case, it behooves the Navy to conduct this case with the people with the best credentials."

Japan officials arriving

Damage to the sunken ship's hull is visible in this picture made by an unmanned submersible. Photo special from Yomiuri Shimbun

The governor of the Japanese prefecture that was home to the doomed Ehime Maru fishery training ship and the head of the prefecture’s legislature were to arrive in Honolulu this morning, hoping to get an apology from Waddle.

Gov. Moriyuki Kato and Nagahashi Tanimoto, chairman of the Ehime Prefectural Congress, will meet today with Adm. Dennis Blair, commander of U.S. Pacific forces, at Blair’s office at Camp Smith.

"I, personally, think that the submarine commander should apologize to the families of the missing, and I hope this visit communicates the feelings of the victims to the U.S. military forces and others involved in this matter," according to a translation of Kato’s news conference yesterday.

On Feb. 9, the Greeneville was performing a "main emergency ballast blow" with 16 civilians aboard - two of them at the sub’s controls. The Greeneville rammed the Ehime Maru, a Japanese ship used to train teenagers to be fishermen, and sent it 2,003 feet to the bottom of the ocean.

The Coast Guard is still searching for nine crewmen and teenagers.

Sixteen civilians were in the submarine’s control room at the time of the accident, two of them at the controls and under close scrutiny by Navy crew. Two of the civilians, Mickey and Susan Nolan of Hawai‘i Kai, said yesterday they were trying to arrange a meeting with families of the victims in the next few days through the Japanese Consulate. They may be joined by John and Leigh Anne Schnell Hall, and Todd and Deanda Thoman, all of whom are from Texas and also were aboard the Greeneville when the collision occurred.

A deep-sea robot discovered the wreckage of the Ehime Maru Friday night about 1,000 yards from where it was hit, nine miles south of Diamond Head.

Between trips made to the bottom by the unmanned submersibles Scorpio II and Deep Drone, the Navy has gathered more than 24 hours of video footage.

"The vessel itself is mostly intact," Lt. Cmdr. Flex Plexico said. "You will see some damage (on videotape), but that damage hasn’t been assessed yet. It’s a pretty slow process."

Salvage decision pending

It will take another two to three weeks before video imaging and mapping of the site is completed and a decision will be made whether to salvage the Ehime Maru, said Plexico.

Dents on the hull of the Ehime Maru are visible this video footage released by the Navy to the relatives of the nine Japanese missing and presumed dead. The sunken ship was photographed by the unmanned Navy submersible Super Scorpio II. U.S. Navy photo

The ship C-Commando returned to Pearl Harbor late Saturday night to repair a one-foot tear in Scorpio II’s tether. Thruster damage also was revealed. Then on Sunday afternoon, Kevlar braiding on the tether broke as the drone was latched to support equipment aboard the C-Commando.

Scorpio II returned to service yesterday. The USS Salvor, carrying Deep Drone, remained in the area above the Ehime Maru.

The two submersible probes have covered about 160,000 square yards, the Navy said. Life raft containers, small boxes, work clothing and food items have been located near the ship, but none of the nine missing have been found.

Japan offers help

Yesterday, Yasuo Fukuda, Japan’s chief Cabinet secretary, said his government will help raise the Ehime Maru. A spokesman for Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said Washington and Tokyo plan to consult on the offer.

Kato and Nagahashi also plan to urge Blair to raise the Ehime Maru.

"The family members of the missing strongly desire the raising of the ship," Kato said. "Now that the ship has been found, and discussion of the technological feasibility of raising the ship has begun, we feel it is necessary to talk with the American military forces and beg for their cooperation."

He and Nagahashi also hope to meet with Adm. Thomas Fargo, head of the Navy’s Pacific fleet.

If Kato meets with Fargo, he wants to deliver a simple message:

"Fargo-San. We want Cmdr. Waddle to apologize," Kato said.

" ... From a Japanese perspective, it would be desirable to have Waddle meet with the family members before the court of inquiry, in which they will all probably be present."

On Saturday, Fargo said an apology from Waddle would carry "legal implications."

Advertiser staff writer William Cole and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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