Two Cuban pilots fled to Florida, in the United States, in a motorized hang glider providing tourist services in Havana’s Playas del Este, local media reported Sunday.
According to the Cuban Aviation Club, in a statement quoted by the media, the pilots landed on Saturday at Key West airport, in southern Florida, aboard an ultralight “Trike”.
Two Cuban migrants landed at Key West International Airport aboard a motorized hang glider, authorities say.
“This is not a typical event,” said Adam Linhardt, spokesman for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. “But it’s not entirely unusual.” https://t.co/Gl7VH4lMiz pic.twitter.com/TmjXXuUymg
– ABC News (@ABC) March 27, 2023
The state club denounced the fact as an “open violation of Cuban airspace” and equipment theft, while classifying the pilots as deserters.
In addition, he indicated to the “corresponding international authorities that he disagreed with this kind of facts” and requested that the perpetrators of the incident “apply the sanctions appropriate to the seriousness of the case” and that “the stolen equipment would be returned.
The two Cubans were arrested as soon as they entered US territory, after a flight of less than two hours, and were taken into custody by Border Patrol.
Migrants land at Key West International Airport: https://t.co/RmY672b0bj pic.twitter.com/Y5D95hcL8g
— Florida Keys sheriff (@mcsonews) March 25, 2023
Last October, a Cuban pilot flew a single-engine Antonov An-2 biplane made by Russia from Sancti Spíritus (central Cuba) and landed at an airport in southern Florida. He was detained, but the judge granted him asylum.
In fiscal year 2022, that will From October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022, 6,182 Cuban migrants were intercepted in Florida Strait waters, up from 838 during the same period of the previous year.
During the same period, another 224,607 Cuban migrants arrived at the southern border with Mexico.
From October to date, 5,862 Cubans have been intercepted by the US Coast Guard.
Source: DN
