Search for Hawaii Collision Survivors Continues
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: This could be the final day of the active search for nine crew members still missing after the collision of a U.S. submarine and a Japanese fishing ship off of Hawaii. At least one Coast Guard official says that the missing may have been trapped inside the ship as it sank. We get the latest now from CNN's Martin Savage, who is in Honolulu -- Martin.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Colleen. The search-and-rescue operation is continuing for a third straight night. It is 3:00 in the morning here. And the Coast Guard says it will go into a fourth straight day. Since the last time we reported to you, within the hour, we had been watching as the U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat, Kitty Wake (ph), pulled back into port here at the Coast Guard station. She had been out on station since about 7:00 yesterday. She has actually been involved in the search-and-rescue operation almost from the very beginning when it happened on Friday afternoon here in Hawaii. And we are fortunate now to be joined by Lieutenant Junior Grade Jennifer Cook. She is captain of the boat. Thank you very much for being with us.</s>LT. J.G. JENNIFER COOK, U.S. COAST GUARD: Thank you.</s>SAVIDGE: You were out there. You have been out there through the evening hours tonight. What are the conditions in the search area like?</s>COOK: Oh, the conditions are getting better. The wind is dying down. So the seas are about four feet. And there is this wind swell that's probably two to three feet, which is better from Friday afternoon when we first got out there. It was significantly larger and rougher.</s>SAVIDGE: Can you see anything out there? Have you found anything out there?</s>COOK: This last trip, we didn't find anything. But on previous trips, we have seen debris and life rings, that kind of stuff.</s>SAVIDGE: Now, you and the crew have been at it for quite some time. How are they holding up? How are they staying focused?</s>COOK: You know, they are -- they are doing their job and standing watches here, you know, keep looking out. And the fatigue does start to wear on you, but there is always hope. And that's what they -- that's what they thrive on.</s>SAVIDGE: Of the items that you found, is there any indication that they may have come from the vessel that was struck?</s>COOK: Well, there's Asian writing on them. And none of us are experts in that kind of stuff. But you can conclude that they are most likely from the mishap.</s>SAVIDGE: What keeps the crew going? What is it that sort of drives you on as you are out there?</s>COOK: I think that they are doing a job. This what they are trained for. And they do a lot of training, a lot of exercises and stuff. And when the real thing happens, they are ready for action.</s>SAVIDGE: Thoughts of the families, the people that wait for any word, does that go through your minds?</s>COOK: Definitely. We talk about it up on watch and things like that, what conditions might be like and things like that. And it's a pretty sad situation.</s>SAVIDGE: In the nighttime, as you search, what do you do, specifically? Obviously, you are limited by visibility. How do you try to cope with the darkness?</s>COOK: Right. We slow down a little bit. And once you are out there for a while, your eyes adjust. And we've been lucky to have a full moon recently. So there's -- the visibility is a lot better than if it was pitch dark out there. We also have night vision goggles and equipment like that that we can use.</s>SAVIDGE: Ma'am, we thank you very much. And we wish you and your crew good luck.</s>COOK: Thank you.</s>SAVIDGE: Thank you. So, the conditions seem to be improving out there. That is good news not only for those that are involved in the search-and-rescue mission, but also it would lend more hope to the families that wait for any word -- Colleen.</s>MCEDWARDS: CNN's Martin Savage, thanks.