U.S. Agrees On Sub Crash Settlement

The families of 33 people who were aboard a Japanese fishing trawler sunk by a U.S. submarine off Hawaii agreed to a reported $13 million compensation package from the Navy on Thursday.

Lawyers representing the families and the U.S. government signed the deal at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Negotiations between the Navy and two other families are continuing separately.

The Navy will make a total payment of $13 million, according to local media reports. Lawyers and a Navy spokesman refused to confirm the amount, citing the families' privacy.

Nine men and teenage boys died when the nuclear-powered USS Greeneville surfaced beneath the trawler Ehime Maru on Feb. 9, 2001, sinking it off the coast of Oahu. The fishing vessel was on a training expedition for students and teachers from Uwajima Fisheries High School in Ehime state in southwestern Japan.

Earlier this year, the Ehime government agreed to $11.47 million in compensation from the Navy to cover the costs of the vessel, equipment, cargo, crew salaries, mental health care for the survivors and the costs for a memorial service.

Scott Waddle, skipper of the USS Greeneville, was given a letter of reprimand for the fatal collision after a Navy court of inquiry. He retired last year.

Thursday's agreement came one day after another Navy submarine, the USS Oklahoma City, bumped a commercial ship in the Mediterranean Sea while ascending to periscope depth.

No one aboard the submarine was injured, according to a statement released by the U.S. Sixth Fleet at Gaeta, Italy.

It was not immediately clear what vessel was struck by the submarine. When the nuclear attack submarine reached the surface, it spotted a merchant ship and attempted to make radio contact. The merchant ship did not respond, and, appearing in no need of assistance, it left the area.

By Natalie Obiko Pearson