Hijacker gives himself up to Castro

Press, 13 June 1979, Page 8

Hijacker gives himself up to Castro

NZPA-Reuter Miami A Delta Airlines jetliner!] commandeered from New,, York to Cuba with 206|; people aboard arrived back in ■, Miami yesterday after the . hijacker surrendered top Cuban authorities in Havana.! The 194 passengers and), 12 crew members were being H questioned by Federal o authorities who met the Tri- , star airliner in Miami. The hijacker, who had, diverted the plane to Cuba;, after its departure from New;. York on a flight to Fort 11 Lauderdale, Florida, re-1, mamed in Havana. He hadij given himself up to Cuban I j authorities soon after the ] plane landed. Passengers described theh hijacker to reporters as albearded man who spoke with I, a Spanish accent and wore!; Army fatigues. The clothes!] had no military markings, : thev said. 1 One passenger quoted theL hijacker as saying over theh plane’s intercom during the]] flight. “I have to do it.” But,|i the passenger said, the man ; gave no reason. Once the plane reached!. Cuba, President Fidel Castro rushed to Jose Marti Inter-' national Airport. arriving, about an hour after the Lockheed LlOll touched, down. It was the first hijacking! of an American airliner to | Cuba since 1974, a year aftei. a United States-Cuba extradition treaty halted the flood! of hijackings. A Delta spokesman, William Berry, said the plane “was diverted” as it passed near Wilmington. Delaware when "a man entered the! flight deck and demanded to be flown to Havana, Cuba.” |