Submarine collision families angry at commander's punishment

The relatives of nine Japanese people killed when a US submarine struck a trawler say the commander's punishment is too lenient.

Commander Scott Waddle was given a letter of reprimand as punishment after the USS Greeneville collided with the training vessel from a high school in waters off Hawaii on February 9.

Four students and two teachers from the school in Uwajima, 470 miles southwest of Tokyo, are still missing and presumed dead.

The Japanese government says it will not demand tougher punishment for the skipper.

"The Japanese government considers that the US government has acknowledged all responsibilities regarding this incident," said Kazuhiko Koshikawa, spokesman for Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

But families of victims have criticised the verdict. Ryosuke Terata, whose 17-year-old son Yusuke was lost in the accident, said: "It's unforgivable that the matter should be settled with this sort of punishment after so many questions were left unanswered by the court of inquiry."

"Since the captain was being judged by his peers, I wasn't expecting much to come out of the trial," said Kazuhiko Segawa, son of 60-year-old Hirotaka Segawa, chief of communications aboard the fishing vessel the Ehime Maru.

Cmdr Waddle is also to forfeit half of his pay for two months, though that punishment was suspended for six months. The officer said he will retire on October 1, meaning he will receive full pay until the end of his career.

Some relatives said Cmdr Waddle should have faced a court-martial for failing to detect the trawler before his submarine rocketed to the surface in a demonstration of an emergency procedure for the 16 civilians aboard.

Local officials have echoed the families' disappointment. Mayor Hirohisa Ishibashi said: "Unfortunately, I cannot help but feel the punishment may be too light. Families and students are demanding that Waddle come to Uwajima and apologise. But I am too agitated at this point to say, 'Please come."'