Civilian: I was at crash sub's controls

Surviving crew members arrive back in Japan

An American civilian has admitted he pulled the levers that led to a US nuclear-powered submarine ramming and sinking a Japanese fishing boat.

The attack submarine USS Greeneville was sent rapidly towards the surface off the Hawaiian islands last Friday where it sank the Ehime Maru, leaving nine people dead.

There was a very loud noise and the entire submarine shuddered

John Hall

John Hall told NBC's Today show: "I was to the left in the control room, and I was asked by the captain if I would like the opportunity to pull the levers."

"I said, 'Sure, I'd love to do that.'"

The USS Greeneville was conducting a drill in which the submarine dives to about 120 metres (400 feet) and then rapidly surfaces - known as an "emergency main ballast blow."

Submarine 'shuddered'

Mr Hall, one of 16 civilians on a visit to the submarine, said a crew member was close beside him during the drill.

"The seaman that was standing next to me put his hands over mine to make sure the levers were in and locked and said 'sit down,' " Mr Hall said.

"Immediately the submarine began to rise and it came very quickly."

Damage is visible on the port side of the submarine

Mr Hall said as the submarine rose out of the water, he could feel the nose come down.

"Just when it was starting to come down... there was a very loud noise and the entire submarine shuddered."

According to Mr Hall, submarine captain, Commander Scott Waddle, said "Jesus, what the hell was that?," immediately looked out the periscope and said they had hit the fishing boat.

"He said the name of the boat," Mr Hall said. "He must have been able to see the stern of the ship."

Of the 35 people aboard the fishing boat, 26 were rescued and nine, including four students, are dead.

Mr Hall said the crew had surveyed the area with a periscope several times before rising.

He remembered "a lot of crewmen calling out to (the commander) that they had gone through their procedure and the procedures were okay".

Diplomatic disaster

He said "maybe 10 minutes" passed between the visual sweeps and the sub coming out of the water.

US officials said on Wednesday that two civilians were at the controls, but said there was no indication that they had a role in the accident.

However, US naval officials have admitted they could not rule out the civilians being a distraction to the crew.

Every time new information comes out, there are new doubts and anger

Japanese daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun

The BBC's Washington correspondent says the incident is rapidly turning into a diplomatic disaster for President George W Bush.

Mr Bush had hoped to strengthen ties, already strained over incidents involving US troops in Japan's Okinawa island.

Civilian role

Mr Hall's admission came as Japan warned of serious consequences if it was found that the civilians on the USS Greeneville had contributed to the accident.

Four of the missing from the Ehime Maru, which was on a studies voyage, are 17-year-olds

Foreign Minister Yohei Kono also protested to US Secretary of State Colin Powell over Washington's failure to inform Japan about the civilians' role.

He told Mr Powell it was regrettable that he had learnt the news from a television report.

Mr Powell has promised that the Pentagon would carry out a "thorough investigation" and inform Tokyo promptly of the findings.

The US Navy is considering charging the captain and crew of the submarine.

More controversy

There is further sensitivity over reports that the man who arranged for civilians to be on board was a retired US admiral who himself was once at the centre of a controversy with Japan.

I saw something come up and I thought it was a whale

Ehime Maru crew member on the accident

In 1996, Richard Macke was forced to apply for early retirement after he suggested that three US servicemen who rented a car to allegedly abduct and rape a 12-year-old girl in Okinawa should have hired a prostitute instead.

The collision between the submarine and the fishing boat has been front page news in Japan for days. On Thursday, newspapers published accounts from survivors describing the horror of the accident.

"Everyone was in a panic," deck hand Shukuo Nakamura said.

"'Everyone go up"' someone was shouting... And then a big wave crashed against us and I was thrown into the water."

The crew have said it was "absolutely unforgivable" for civilians to have been operating the submarine.