Japanese Captain Speaks on Sub Crash
March 14 -- There was a "terrible sound of bang, bang" as a U.S. submarine struck the Japanese trawler Ehime Maru last month, sinking it in less than 10 minutes, the fishing boat captain testified today.
The trawler, its steel hull torn, flooded and sank in 2,000 feet of water, killing nine people.
In emotional testimony about the accident and subsequent U.S. rescue efforts, Capt. Hisao Onishi, speaking through a translator, described the incident step-by-step for a three-man naval court of inquiry examining the sinking.
"At the first impact, the stern tossed or lifted up," he told a packed courtroom in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. When the submarine, the USS Greeneville, collided with his boat, Onishi said, he heard a "terrible sound of bang, bang" of metal hitting metal, he said.
The vessel sank so fast, the captain said, he and others of the 34 on board were literally thrown into the waves.
He said the crew of the submarine just seemed to stare at the survivors, offering no help, though he said he later was told why. And he said it was about an hour before first U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived to begin attempts at search and rescue.
As he described the events, some family members of the nine men and boys who were lost wept. The wife of sub captain, Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle, who is a subject of the inquiry and could face a court-martial for his actions prior to the crash, also showed emotion. Investigators have found evidence Waddle may have moved too quickly through his sonar and periscope checks before performing an emergency surfacing drill that led to the crash.
As the testimony was given, there was no direct eye contact between the captain and U.S. naval officers in the courtroom, nor between Waddle and Onishi.
The panel is hearing its second week of testimony into the accident.
Face-to-Face With Greeneville Commander
After the testimony, Waddle met briefly with Onishi face-to-face. It was their first meeting since the Feb. 9 accident.
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