Rough seas force flotilla to turn back short of destination
March 2, 1996
Web posted at: 3:30 p.m. ESTKEY WEST, Florida (CNN) -- Rough seas and rain forced Cuban exiles to hold a memorial service 23 miles short of their destination Saturday.
All 30 vessels in the flotilla turned back after holding the service for four pilots who were presumed to have been killed a week earlier when Cuban MiGs shot down two of three planes flown by Brothers to the Rescue, an anti-Castro group.
The members of the flotilla had hoped to reach the spot where they believe the planes were shot down. Instead, they held a memorial service about 35 miles from Cuba then began heading back to Florida.
Poor weather also grounded two planes Brothers to the Rescue planned to fly over the memorial site during the ceremony.
After a brief ceremony during which participants tossed flowers onto the water and said prayers for the lost pilots, the boats began their voyage back to Key West, where they were expected to arrive about 7 p.m..
The U.S. Coast Guard was reporting seas of 7 to 9 feet, rather than the expected 4 to 6 feet.
Although the United States said it was not expecting a confrontation with Cuban military forces, the flotilla was escorted by armed U.S. Coast Guard cutters. The boats and planes were also backed by an array of U.S. military might including two guided missile cruisers, a frigate and an AWACS radar command and control aircraft. The military presence was also aimed at discouraging participants from straying into Cuban territory.
Cuba, which sent its own coast guard boats to patrol its waters, had said it did not expect any confrontation either.
Parliamentary President Ricardo Alarcon told a news conference Friday he expected the U.S. Coast Guard presence to keep the flotilla out of Cuban territory.
But Havana had said it would take what it called "appropriate measures" if the flotilla violated its security zone, an area anywhere from 12 to 20 miles outside of Cuba.
Stormy weather, choppy seas and sea sickness kept the flotilla far from Cuban shores averting a possible confrontation.
Still, the day was cause for Cuban exiles to mourn the loss of their brethren and rededicate themselves to the struggle for democracy in Cuba.
Jose Basulto, leader of the Brothers to the Rescue, who survived the air attack last week, called on the international community to create a tribunal to work against Cuban President Fidel Castro and term Cuba an "outlaw state" if it does not become free and democratic soon.
On Saturday evening, 74,000 people were expected to gather at the Orange Bowl stadium for a community memorial service.
Organizers, who likened the event to a funeral service for the four pilots, discouraged participants from bringing political signs or planning demonstrations.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright was to represent the Clinton Administration at the Orange Bowl memorial service.
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Reuters and AP contributed to this report.
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