'Ehime Maru' families and the United States reach settlement

Families of victims of a sea tragedy off Hawaii and the United States have reached a settlement. The United States has agreed to pay 13.9 million dollars in compensation to 33 of 35 families of victims, including 26 survivors.

The lawyers group for the 33 families of victims and survivors on November 14 signed the settlement document at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

In February 2001, the nuclear submarine Greenville struck and sunk the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel with 35 people on board, including Uwajima Fisheries High School Students, off Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Twenty-six people, including nine students, were rescued.

The remaining two families will continue to negotiate with the United States, demanding that the cause of the accident be thoroughly investigated and that sincere efforts to prevent similar misdeeds are undertaken. They are also demanding an apology from Scott Waddle, the former commander of the Greenville.

A survivor who was captain of the Ehime Maru, through his lawyers, called for preventive measures to be taken. (end)