Narrative:The pilot of a Cubana aircraft diverted the plane to Miami International Airport in Florida and requested political asylum. After persuading the co-pilot to leave the flight deck, the pilot locked himself inside alone and changed course. The plane was en route from Havana, Cuba, to Nassau, Bahamas. The pilot was the only person on the aircraft to request asylum. The other crew members-two co-pilots, a mechanic, a security operations agent, and two flight attendants-returned to Cuba with the aircraft several hours after landing. None of the 16 passengers were Cuban citizens; they were released to continue their vacations.
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Havana-José Martí International Airport to Nassau International Airport as the crow flies is 548 km (342 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.