Earthrace crew allowed to leave Guatemala

by www.stuff.co.nz on 28 Mar 2007
The crew of the beleaguered New Zealand Earthrace speedboat have been told they can leave Guatemala after a judge ruled a collision with a local fishing boat that left one man dead was an accident.

The biodiesel-powered boat ran into the fishing boat during the night on March 18, sending the three crew on board into the sea.

Skipper Peter Bethune rescued two of the men, but the third fisherman has never been found.

Before his departure from the Central American country, Mr Bethune visited one of the fishermen, named only as Gonzalez, in hospital.

He also met the family of the drowned man, his wife Sharyn told NZPA from the family home in Torbay, Auckland today.

She said she heard from her husband about the court's decision about 6.10am today.

'He was very relieved...'

She said it was important for her husband to meet with the missing man's family before leaving the country, and it was an emotional meeting.

'He said they are just amazing people - just ridiculously poor and just very, very, strong.'

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