Navy finishes Ehime Maru recovery
effort; ninth victim wasn't found
From Stripes and wire reports
HONOLULU — The Navy has ended its $60 million recovery effort at the site of the
Ehime Maru wreck, giving up hope of finding the ninth and final victim of a collision
involving a U.S. submarine and the Japanese training fishing vessel.
The family of Takeshi Mizuguchi, a 17-year-old Uwajima Fisheries High School student,
was informed of the decision Tuesday during a briefing, Rear Adm. William Klemm said.
Klemm said he thought family members had a premonition that the effort was going to end
because they gave 24 pink roses to Navy officials to thank them for their efforts.
"That is a measure of kindness and class that goes beyond anything I have ever
seen in my life," Klemm said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Mizuguchi
family, whose son is still unaccounted for."
Nine men and teen-age boys were killed and 26 others were rescued Feb. 9 after the USS
Greeneville rammed the Ehime Maru nine miles south of Diamond Head.
"From what we heard from witnesses, we told ourselves that our son’s body
would not be recovered. Yet, I could not help but having a slight hope that he would be
found and we would be able to reunite again. Still, when I was informed that my son’s
body was found, I was so upset at the news. I talked to my son that now our family is all
together again... I know how much he wanted to go back to Uwajima," Masumi Terata,
mother of Yusuke Terata, who was a 17-year-old student, spoke through spokeswoman for the
victim’s families, Kayoko Yoneda.
"It is regrettable that many young lives were shortened in such a tragic accident.
Such accident should never happen again. As a family of the victims, my heart aches to
know that the search ended without finding Mizuguchi," said Terata.
The wreckage was moved to shallower water so divers could search for the dead, with
five to seven bodies expected to be found. The first body was found Oct. 16, while the
eighth was recovered Oct. 25.
Asked if the operation was successful, Klemm said, "Success in terms of numbers
— yes, it was successful. Success in addressing all the families, no. I think we
leave this project with an empty part in our heart for their families."
Hidenori Doi, chairman of the alumni association for Uwajima Fisheries High School said
that families and people in Uwajima are very grateful for the sincere and tenacious
efforts U.S. Navy and U.S. government made to recover the bodies and belongings of the
victims.
"We are deeply grateful for the efforts made by U.S. Navy and people in the United
States," Doi said.
"Mizuguchi’s family has not yet given up their hope. It is well
understandable that his parents cannot give up their hope until the very last
minute," he said.
"Families of eight victims whose bodies were recovered are very grateful. They are
grateful for the efforts U.S. Navy made and yet, they are facing the reality that they had
lost their loved ones. It is a mixed feeling," he said.
Divers also recovered 1,500 to 2,000 personal items during 425 dives totaling 333
hours, Klemm said.
The divers told Klemm they were moved when the victims’ families visited the dive
barge, waved at them and threw flowers into the water above the sunken wreckage.
"Everyone of them was very proud of what they did," Klemm said. "And
every one of them was sad we didn’t find the ninth member."
Divers from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will conduct a final inspection of
the wreckage to verify the completeness and accuracy of the Navy’s work, Klemm said.
The effort was to begin Thursday and take one to two weeks to complete, depending on
weather conditions, he said.
Between 1,000 and 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel and oil believed to be in the Ehime
Maru’s tanks will then be drained before the ship is taken out to sea and allowed to
sink, Klemm said.
Chiyomi Sumida contributed to this report.
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