Ship to make 4th try
to put wire under
Ehime Maru

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
gkakesako@starbulletin.com

THE CIVILIAN SHIP Rockwater 2 is expected to return today to the site where the Ehime Maru sank for its fourth attempt at partially raising the Japanese fishing vessel.

The operation had to be suspended at 6 p.m. Friday when the 5-foot-wide metal strap that was lifting the 830-ton vessel snapped, dropping the Ehime Maru 24 feet. The stern of the 190-foot Ehime Maru was being raised so a wire could be run under its hull. The Navy said it does not know what caused the strap to break.

It is one of two wires needed to guide massive lifting plates under the pilot house and the engine room of the sunken vessel. In turn, the plates will be attached to a special cradle that will be employed by the Rockwater 2 to raise the Ehime Maru 90 feet off the ocean bottom.

The Ehime Maru settled 2,000 feet below the surface nine miles south of Diamond Head after it was rammed by the nuclear attack submarine USS Greeneville on Feb. 9. The Greeneville was demonstrating an emergency surfacing maneuver for visiting civilians when the incident occurred. The bodies of nine people were never recovered after the collision.

Since it is not possible for Navy divers to work at 2,000 feet, the Navy, under pressure from the Japanese government, wants to move the Ehime Maru 12.5 miles to shallower waters.

On Thursday, it was able to lift the Ehime Maru 24 feet to run two wires under its hull. However, after the ship was placed back on the bottom Navy salvage experts realized the forward line was snagged. Two attempts were made on Friday to reposition the forward wire, but the sling broke on the second try.

Cmdr. Greg Smith, Pacific Fleet spokesman, said the Rockwater 2 was expected to dock at Honolulu Harbor last night to load a replacement strap and was to leave port sometime today.

He said remotely controlled vehicles conducted an underwater survey of the Ehime Maru and found "no damage" to the hull. In the past, the Navy has expressed concern that raising the hull could add stress to it and increase the potential of releasing lube and diesel fuel trapped in the ship.

"There also was a minor release of fuel oil," Smith said.

The Ehime Maru was carrying 60,000 gallons of diesel fuel, which quickly dissipates when it mixes with ocean water. The Navy estimated that about 45,000 gallons may still be on board.

The Coast Guard estimated that about a gallon may have been released during Thursday's operations.

The Navy said that a helicopter surveillance flight at sunrise yesterday reported "a light sheen slightly smaller than the Rockwater 2 southwest of the ship." The Navy said that, according to a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration formula, the loss would amount to three quarters of a gallon of diesel fuel.

The Navy said the replacement strap is reinforced with two 77 millimeter wires.

Last month the Navy tried for six days to position the metal lifting plates by drilling two small tunnels under the Ehime Maru, but could not get the drilling equipment, normally used in oil field operations, to work properly. It then had to revert to plan B, which called for the Rockwater 2 to raise the Ehime Maru.