Round the world walker allowed to pass through Russia

A court in Russia’s far-eastern Chukotka province has turned down a lower court ruling ordering the deportation of Briton Karl Bushby and his American companion Dimitry Kieffer, the ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

Earlier this week, the travelers appealed an order by a Russian court that they be deported for illegally crossing the Russian border by walking across the frozen Bering Strait from Alaska.

Karl Bushby, a former British paratrooper who is halfway through his attempt to complete a round-the-world walk, and his American travel companion Dimitry Kieffer, were detained in the Far East region of Chukotka on April 1 and ordered to be deported two weeks later. They were also slapped with a fine and a five-year travel ban, which would prevent Bushby from continuing his journey.

Karl’s father, Keith Bushby said his son wants to be the first person to walk around the world — from South America to Alaska, into Russia and then Europe. Karl Bushby, 37, has walked 17,000 miles since he began his trip on Nov. 1, 1998. Kieffer accompanied him only on the Bering Strait leg.

Keith Bushby told The Associated Press by telephone from Britain that his son hoped Russian authorities would allow him to fly back to Alaska, collect all the necessary documents and return to the Chukotka village where his trip was interrupted. “Karl would like to walk the full length of Russia,” he said.