Hope dims for more submarine collision survivors

Hope has dimmed of finding alive any of the Japanese fishermen and students missing after their ship was rammed and sunk by a submarine.

The US Coast Guard and Navy have found no signs of survivors nor major pieces of wreckage more than 48 hours after the collision in a search that covered more than 5,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.

The Ehime Maru fisheries training vessel sank in 1,800 feet of water 10 minutes after it was struck by the USS Greeneville while the submarine was practising an emergency surfacing manoeuvre.

Thirty-four relatives and officials have travelled from Osaka to be with survivors and await word of the three crewmen, two teachers and four students who disappeared in the choppy waters where the ship sank.

Ietaka Horita, the principal of Uwajima Fisheries High School in southwestern Japan, said the reunion with surviving students was emotion-filled.

"We really didn't exchange any words," said Mr Horita, who will remain in Hawaii until all the rescued students return to Japan.

"There was no need. A hug was all that was necessary. Men of the sea would understand."

The Ehime Maru's captain, Hisao Onishi, has questioned why the 26 survivors had to wait 50 minutes to be rescued. The ship sank about nine miles from land.

Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander-in-chief of the US Pacific Fleet, said choppy waters and the USS Greeneville's round hull made opening the hatches to help in the rescue too dangerous.

The Navy, Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating why the submarine - 360ft long and weighing 6,900 tons - did not notice the 180ft fishing ship. The Navy said it will inspect the submarine's log books, any videotapes of periscope viewings and electronic records of any acoustics in the ocean.