CUBA: HUNDREDS OF CUBANS BOARD AN OIL TANKER IN A BID TO GAIN PASSAGE TO THE UNITED STATES

Record ID: 344772

  • Title: CUBA: HUNDREDS OF CUBANS BOARD AN OIL TANKER IN A BID TO GAIN PASSAGE TO THE UNITED STATES
  • Date: 15th August 1994
  • Summary: MARIEL PORT, NEAR HAVANA (AUGUST 15, 1994) 1. GV OIL TANKER JUSSARA IN PORT (8 SHOTS) 0.44 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 30th August 1994 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MARIEL PORT, NEAR HAVANA, CUBA
  • City:
  • Country: Cuba CARIBBEAN
  • Reuters ID: LVA6UUFXZL2EAIIPEVK3FDF1GHS4
  • Story Text: Several hundred Cubans boarded an oil tanker in the port of Mariel on Sunday (August 14) in a bid to gain passage to the United States (U.S.) but were stopped by the authorities, officials said.

    The incident was the latest involving Cubans trying to leave the communist-ruled Caribbean island.

    The authorities were not allowing the vessel, the Maltese-flagged "Jussara," to leave the port west of Havana and special measures had been taken to ensure it did not move, an Interior Ministry statement said.

    The ministry said a group of several hundred "anti-social elements" had boarded the vessel with the help of the tanker's Greek captain. Civilian law enforcement brigades mobilised rapidly but it was too late to prevent people from boarding the vessel, it added.

    The ministry said security forces were approaching the situation with calm to avoid taking "drastic measures." The hijackers had women and children among them, it added.

    In a reference to Cuba's claim that illegal exits from the island are encouraged by U.S. immigration policy, the statement noted that the latest incident came barely a day after Secretary of State Warren Christopher said the U.S. would continue to receive Cubans who had left the island illegally.

    The hijacking was the fourth of a state-owned Cuban vessel in two weeks by would-be emigrants.

    Three hijackings of ferry boats from Havana bay triggered unprecedented street clashes in the Cuban capital on August 5 in which 35 people were injured.


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