A note released by the Civil Aeronautics of Cuba qualifies as “violation of airspace, operational safety and Cuban aeronautical regulations” the event that occurred this Friday, when a Cuban pilot landed a spray plane in Florida.
“Air piracy acts constitute crimes defined in various international conventions, ratified by Cuba and the United States. This fact represents a violation of Cuban airspace, operational safety and aeronautical regulations, in correspondence with the Annexes of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention)”, asserts the published information by the official newspaper Granma.
A Cuban pilot landed a Russian plane at the Dade-Collier airport in Ochoppee, Florida, after escaping from the island, according to various media reports.
?? The aviator, identified as Rubén Martínez, is being questioned by the authorities. pic.twitter.com/bX8wPjRREo
— Telemundo News (@TelemundoNews) October 21, 2022
The Civil Aeronautics of Cuba confirmed that the AN-2 type aircraft, identified with flight CNI 400, registration CU A1885, belonged to the National Air Services Company (ENSA) and took off from the ENSA Base Economic Unit in Sancti -Spíritus, at 07:00 on Friday, bound for the “El Cedro” runway to carry out agricultural fumigation work.
“After finishing its second application flight, the aircraft, piloted by the captain on board Rubén Martínez Machado, did not return to the runway,” confirms the note, explaining that Martínez Machado, a native of Santa Clara, had the License 3060, valid until October 30, 2022.
The Cuban civil aviation authorities continue to investigate the details of the incident based on the available information. So far, the Cuban civil aviation authorities have not received official notification from the United States Agencies, points out Granma.
Independent media published the news the day before and detailed that Martínez Machado landed about four hours later at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition airport, in the middle of the Everglades.
The island is going through a strong migratory wave that has multiplied not only the number of rafters who venture to cross the Straits of Florida, but also the number of migrants who make the journey overland through Central America to the border between Mexico and the United States.
Other Cubans last month stole a boat from the port of Mariel to reach the United States, but were guarded by the Coast Guard of that country. According to report of EphCuba did not officially confirm this information, which was disclosed on social networks.
The number of Cuban migrants who entered the United States in fiscal year 2022 was around 200,000, according to reports from the Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), higher than that of previous waves and mainly motivated by in the opinion of analysts, due to the severe economic crisis that the Island is currently suffering.
The US Coast Guard alone intercepted 6,182 Cubans at sea during fiscal year 2022, which ended on October 1. Since then, and in 22 days, he has captured 921 more migrants.
With information from Efe and Granma.
