The trimaran may be able to soon resume its journey.
The trimaran may be able to soon resume its journey.
KEY POINTS:
The captain of the Earthrace trimaran is due to face a judge today to see if he will be charged after his boat collided with another boat, killing one fisherman and seriously injuring another.
Pete Bethune was yesterday freed from the military compound after the President of Guatemala,Óscar Berger, intervened.
Mr Bethune had been held there since the crash last Sunday. But a website set up to track the record-breaking attempt revealed the New Zealand Consulate contacted the President on Mr Bethune's behalf.
He in turn contacted the base, which agreed to release Mr Bethune under armed guard.
On his blog, Mr Bethune wrote that he was due to find out today whether he would face a criminal trial and he was "pretty confident he [the judge] will let us go".
Insurers for the New Zealand speedboat have reached a financial settlement with the families of the Guatemalan fishermen involved in the fatal collision.
Mr Bethune said the crew also hoped to meet the dead fisherman's family before leaving.
"I'm hopeful they'll let us at least express our sorrow at what has happened," he wrote. "I'm not sure if the family will want to know the story of what happened ... but they should at least be given the chance to find out."
