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Trimaran, fishing boat collide; one missing

The trimaran boat that collided with a fishing skiff off Guatemala's Pacific coast is seen in Puerto San Jose, Guatemala, on Sunday. The collision left one fisherman missing and two injured, the Guatemalan army said on Monday. PHOTO: AP

An exotic, US$3 million speedboat trying a round-the-world record attempt collided with a fishing skiff off Guatemala's Pacific coast, leaving one fisherman in the hospital and another missing, the Guatemalan army said on Monday.

The 24m trimaran's captain, Peter Bethune of New Zealand, said in a telephone interview that he dived into the water after the crash in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the now-missing fisherman.

"The crew is unhurt, but we are all very upset," he said.

The unusual, needle-nosed trimaran with the name Earthrace painted on its hull was docked at a naval base in Puerto San Jose on Monday.

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bethune as saying that the fishing boat did not have any lights on at the time of the collision.

Bethune would not confirm that information, saying that he and others had been advised to not talk much to the news media until after they had appeared before a judge.

"I don't want to say too much because I'm in a place that I know little about right now," he said.

Army spokesman Daniel Dominguez said authorities were searching for the missing fisherman after the early Sunday collision about 30km off the coast of Tiquisate, 75km south of the capital, Guatemala City.

The military said in a statement that fisherman Pedro Feliciano Salazar, 51, was hospitalized with serious injuries, and 21-year-old Juan Carlos Contreras suffered minor injuries. Julio David Galiano Contreras, 51, was still missing.

Bethune said the record attempt was being filmed for a Discovery Channel program.

A press release on Discovery's Turbo Web site said two of the fishermen quickly swam to the speedboat while the third was thrown a life buoy but failed to grab it.

It said that Earthrace skipper Pete Bethune, "dove into the water to rescue the third person; however the fisherman disappeared by the time Bethune reached him."

The injured fisherman were treated by a doctor on the boat as they headed to port.

Dominguez said the crew members -- Bethune; Ryan Heron, of New Zealand; and Anthony Distefano and David Stark, of the US -- were taken to a navy base for questioning.

"We are not free to roam around, we are not free to leave the military base," said Bethune, who added that he expected the crew to remain in Guatemala at least until the end of the week. "But we are being treated outstandingly well."

According to the race boat's Web site, the carbon and Kevlar composite craft runs on biodiesel fuel and has a top speed of 45 knots (90kph).

The Earthrace Web site describes the craft as a "wave-piercing powerboat" from Auckland, New Zealand. It began its bid to break the world circumnavigation record of 75 days -- set by British boat Cable & Wireless in 1998 -- on March 10 in Barbados, and completed the first leg of the trip in 83 hours, according to a site posting.
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