AMERICANS IN CUBA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28629, 4 July 1958, Page 9

AMERICANS IN CUBA

Rebels Release Hostages

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 2. The Cuban rebels suddenly began releasing their American and Canadian hostages today. United Press International reported from Havana. The prisoners were flown to the United States Navy base at Guantanamo by Navy helicopter in an emergency airlift which the United States Embassy said it expected Would bring all 50 hostages to safety. The first two trips by the helicopter brought five captives into Guantanamo as well as Mr Park Wollam, the United States Consul in Santiago, the rebel hotbed and capital of Oriente Province. The United States Embassy said the helicopter would make no further trips tonight, but probably would resume at dawn tomorrow.

Mr Wollam had been in the mountainous jungles of Oriente negotiating with Fidel Castro’s insurgents for release of the captives, seized in raids on United States installations in Eastern Cuba during the last week. After the helicopter first landed at Guantanamo it took off again immediately for a pre-designated cleared site in the jungle and returned with the second load.

The two round trips took four hours, indicating, the news agency said, that the rebel prison camp in the Sierra Maestra mountains was not more than 30 miles from the naval base. The release of the men left 43 Americans and two Canadians in the hands of the rebels. A United States Embassy spokesman said it was hoped that the rest would be returned by nightfall tomorrow, but that a full report was being awaited from Mr Wollam.

The Embassy had only sketchy details of the first airlift operations and it was not able to sayhow the men were selected for release.