Plane Diverted By Armed Man

Press, Volume C, Issue 29503, 3 May 1961, Page 15

Plane Diverted By Armed Man

INZ Pre** Aesoctatum— Copyright) KEY WEST. May 2. A passenger took command of an airliner over Florida yesterday and forced its crew to fly the plane to Cuba.

Holding a knife at the throat of the aircraft’s captain and covering the co-pilot with a gun. the man said he wanted to go to Havana to tell Dr. Fidel Castro of an assassination plot.

The man. one of eight passengers in an American National Airlines Convalr. walked into the pilot’s compartment while the plane was flying over Florida on its way from Miami to Key West.

The twin-engined aircraft was allowed to return to Florida after it landed and refuelled at San Antonia, al out 25 miles from Havana. Associated Press said the

man was taken into custody by Cuban militiamen when the Convair landed at San Antonia

The pilot. Captain F. S. Riley, said the man. wearing sunglasses and a hat. “came into the cockpit, put a knife on me and held a pistol on the co-pilot." Captain Riley said military men surrounded the plane as soon as it stopped. He and the “hijacker” were taken to a building. After spending a little more than two hours on the ground, during which time the remaining passengers and crew were kept aboard the plane, the flight returned to the United States.