Former U.S. submarine commander apologizes to another family of victim

Scott Waddle, former skipper of the U.S. submarine Greeneville which hit and sank a Japanese training trawler and killed nine high school students, teachers, and crew members off Hawaii in February 2001, met with the parents of Terada Yusuke, one of the student victims, who had not accepted a settlement.

In a meeting that took place in Tokyo on December 16, the day after Waddle visited Uwajima Fisheries High School in Ehime Prefecture, Terada's parents, who had insisted that Waddle should make an apology before any settlement over compensation for their son's death is made, accepted his apology. During the two-hour talks, he reportedly told the parents that he was very sorry to have caused the incident due to his carelessness.

The fatal collision took place on February 10, 2001 (JST) when the U.S. nuclear submarine with civilians aboard engaged in a surprise surfacing and hit and sank Uwajima Fisheries High School's training ship Ehime Maru.

After the talks, Terada's mother said that the Teradas will reach a settlement over compensation with the U.S. side. She also stressed that it is impossible to ever forget the tragedy. The lawyer for Terada said that another family of the 9 victims will also reach a settlement. (end)