http://www.boston.com/dailynews/285/nation/Navy_hoisting_sunken_Japanese_:.shtml

Navy hoisting sunken Japanese fishing vessel to surface

By Janis L. Magin, Associated Press, 10/12/2001 10:33

HONOLULU (AP) The Navy began lifting the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime Maru, sunk by a U.S. submarine eight months ago, from the ocean bottom on Friday, the military said.

The Rockwater 2, an oil-rigging ship that has been readying the 190-foot Ehime Maru for the move since early August, began lifting the fishing vessel at 1:30 a.m., Lt. Victor Lopez, a Pacific Fleet spokesman said. The Ehime Maru is 2,000 feet below the surface.

Rough seas and technical problems delayed Thursday's planned attempt.

The Ehime Maru was about 6 feet off the sea floor and was being moved to clear water about 16 feet away so remote operated vehicles could inspect the vessel and monitor the lifting, Lopez said.

The operation was expected to take three or four days.

The Ehime Maru will eventually be transferred to a shallow water recovery site.

The Navy said earlier this week that the high school fisheries training vessel from Uwajima, Japan, was more intact than expected after it was rammed by the USS Greeneville on Feb. 9 during a rapid surfacing drill.

The Navy has spent at least $60 million to recover the bodies of the nine Japanese men and teen-age boys who died when the ship sank.

On the Net:

Pacific Fleet Ehime Maru recovery: http://www.cpf.navy.mil/ehimemarurecovery.html

-- Anonymous, October 12, 2001