Commander Scott Waddle

HONOLULU, Hawaii (CNN) -- A U.S. Navy court of inquiry is recommending that the skipper of a U.S. Navy submarine that collided with a Japanese training vessel not face court-martial, sources told CNN.

Additionally, the Japanese admiral who observed the inquiry has agreed with the decision concerning Navy Cmdr. Scott Waddle.

The decision by the three-admiral panel follows hearings held by the court to examine the February 9 collision between the USS Greeneville and the Ehime Maru. Nine passengers on the Maru, including four Japanese high school students, were never found and are presumed dead.

The Greeneville collided with the Ehime Maru during a maneuver called an "emergency blow," in which the submarine surfaces rapidly. The submarine was at sea off Oahu, Hawaii, to demonstrate the Greeneville's capabilities to a group of 16 dignitaries, part of a Navy program to build public support for the submarine service.

During its hearings, the panel heard testimony from 38 witnesses about the collision. A court-martial could have resulted in a prison sentence for Waddle.

Rear Adm. Isamu Ozawa of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force observed the court of inquiry as a representative of the Japanese government. While Ozawa did not have a vote with the three U.S. admirals, he concurred in their decision, CNN learned.

One source told CNN that Adm. Thomas Fargo, the Pacific Fleet chief who will make the final decision, was leaning toward issuing a non-judicial punishment called an "admiral's mast" for Waddle. Such a punishment is an administrative procedure for offenses that are less serious than those that would merit a court-martial, though it could still end Waddle's Navy career.

Fargo was expected to make a decision on Waddle's punishment quickly, although no timetable has been announced.

Skipper: Crew not given time to do jobs

Meanwhile, Waddle said he didn't give his crew the time they needed to do their jobs, TIME magazine reported. Waddle told TIME he would "give my life if it meant one of those nine lives lost could be brought back."

Waddle also reportedly said he believes that civilian visitors on the USS Greeneville during the February 9 collision were a factor in the disaster.

"Having them in the control room at least interfered with our concentration," Waddle told TIME, referring to the civilian visitors.

Waddle reportedly said that when he raised the vessel's periscope after the collision, "I saw all those little people tumbling in the water. I felt disbelief, regret, remorse, anxiety, rage, denial."

"I didn't cause the accident. I gave the orders that resulted in the accident," he said. "And I take full responsibility."

"I cannot tell you how easy it would have been for me to say it wasn't my fault -- that the guys who worked for me made the mistakes. But I couldn't in good faith do that," he said.

RELATED STORIES:

Divided court of inquiry gives recommendations on Navy sub incident
April 13, 2001
Pacific Fleet commander to be briefed on submarine accident
April 12, 2001
USS Greeneville heads to sea for first time since accident
April 11, 2001
Waddle urged civilians to tell the truth
March 21, 2001
Sub inquiry ends after skipper testifies
March 20, 2001
Commander denied immunity in sub inquiry
March 19, 2001
Families of missing ask sub skipper to not seek immunity
March 17, 2001
Greeneville skipper apologizes to Ehime Maru captain
March 14, 2001
Navy sub collision inquiry gets first eyewitness testimony
March 13, 2001
U.S. Navy may OK attempt to raise Japanese ship
March 12, 2001
Sub skipper's family speaks out about collision
March 11, 2001

RELATED SITES:

NTSB transcripts: Greeneville/Ehime Maru 031201
U.S. Coast Guard
CINCPACFLT :: USS Greeneville (SSN 772) incident
City of Uwajima's memorial site
U.S. Navy
 • CINCPACFLT statement on the USS Greeneville incident
 • Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet
 • USS Greeneville

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