/ 2 April 2003

Cuba blames ‘lenient’ US for latest hijack

The hijacker of a Cuban airlines flight, who claimed to have two hand grenades on board, surrendered to officials after the plane landed in Key West, Florida. He disembarked carrying a small child.

It was the second hijacking from Havana in two weeks. Cuban authorities have blamed what they regard as lenient treatment being given to Cuban hijackers who fly to the US.

The aircraft, an Antonov-24 with 25 passengers and crew, was seized on the Isle of Youth and flown to Havana on Monday night. The hijacker reportedly threatened the crew with hand grenades, raising questions as to how he had acquired them and managed to get them past security.

On arrival at the Jose Marti international airport in Havana, the plane was surrounded by emergency personnel and police officers. A number of passengers, including women and children, were allowed to leave the plane.

While negotiations were apparently going on with the hijacker, all flights into and out of the airport were delayed.

The plane then took off again and arrived about an hour later in Key West where it was surrounded by FBI agents and aviation officials.

Earlier the Cuban authorities had issued a statement saying they would ”undertake the maximum effort to find a solution that preserves the safety and lives of passengers and crew members”.

On March 19 six hijackers took over another plane and forced the pilot to fly at knife point from Cuba to Key West in Florida. They were arrested on arrival but a judge granted them bail. Money is now apparently being raised for them. The Cuban authorities blamed what they saw as the lenient treatment of the six for encouraging other hijack attempts.

”The entire responsibility of what could happen will fall on the government of that country,” said a Cuban statement released before the plane had landed safely in Florida. – Guardian Unlimited Â