US teams searching for for nine Japanese people missing since a US submarine sank their trawler off the coast of Hawaii yesterday say their mission will last at least another 48 hours.
US investigators are focusing on whether the nuclear powered submarine that conducted necessary safeguards before surfacing.
President George W Bush and the US Navy, meanwhile, have apologised to Japan as the Navy, Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board launched investigations into the cause of the collision.
In addition, the US Pacific Fleet announced that the captain of the submarine USS GreenevilleCommander Scott Waddle had been reassigned pending the results of the investigation.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier telephoned Japanese Foreign Minister Mr Yohei Kono to convey his regrets and apology and also the president's regrets and condolences.
The Greeneville, a 360-foot (110-metre), 6,900-tonne attack submarine based at nearby Pearl Harbor, surfaced on Friday afternoon, crashing into the 499-tonne trawler carrying 35 people, including fisheries students who were learning commercial trawling.
Within 10 minutes, the trawler Ehime Marusank into 18,000 feet (5,486 metres) of water nine miles (14 kms) south of Diamond Head off Honolulu, Hawaii.
Twenty six people were rescued from the trawler but nine people, including four 17-year-old students, two teachers and three crew members, were missing.
AFP