Cuban plane crash survivors to stay in the United States

A 36-year-old man who suffered serious injuries when a Cuban plane crashed is taken on a stretcher to an ambulance after arriving at Key West International Airport in Florida

September 20, 2000
Web posted at: 3:44 PM EDT (1944 GMT)

In this story: FBI on the scene Not the first such incident DISCUSSION-ACTIVITY RELATED STORIES, SITES

MIAMI (CNN) -- Six of the nine Cuban survivors of Tuesday's plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico have been turned over to their Miami relatives, and the others also were expected to be allowed to stay in the United States.

An Immigration and Naturalization Service official in Washington said that barring a surprise, such as past criminal records, all the survivors would be able to file for permanent status after one year.

VIDEO Relatives of those on the plane talk to Correspondent Delaine Mathieu Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's John Zarrella reviews the history of hijacking as a way out of Cuba Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    INTERACTIVE Chronology of crashed Cuban plane    HISTORY Leaving Cuba by air

FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said there was "no evidence" their plane had been hijacked, as initially reported by the Cuban government.

Orihuela said the matter had been cleared by the FBI and turned over to immigration officials, who interviewed survivors of the crash.

Six of the Cubans -- two women, two men and two children -- left the Krome Detention Center in Miami on Thursday following a medical evaluation and were being taken to the Miami-Dade County Health Department to be released to their Miami relatives.

Two other survivors were at the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West. Rodolfo Fuentes was hospitalized on Tuesday night. His wife, Liliana Ponzoa, was admitted to the hospital with a laceration to her leg Wednesday night.

Their son Andy Fuentes was at the hospital earlier but was released to the custody of an aunt Thursday morning, the INS said.

The physician who treated the survivors Wednesday night said there was "no doubt that all of them needed medical attention." Dr. David Bannon said Rodolfo Fuentes was doing well and was likely to be discharged soon.

A Panamanian freighter, the Chios Dream, picked up several survivors from a Cuban plane that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico

The nine Cuban nationals were plucked Tuesday from the ocean near the Yucatan Pass off the coast of Mexico by a merchant ship, the Chios Dream. The crew of the ship also pulled from the ocean the body of one man, Judel Puig Martinez, 21.

Under U.S. immigration policy, Cubans who reach U.S. shores are generally allowed to stay, but those rescued at sea are usually returned to Cuba unless they can convince U.S. authorities they would face persecution if repatriated.

Fuentes will have the right to apply for asylum, INS officials said, and the other eight survivors will likely have the same opportunity. If found eligible, they will be allowed to apply for permanent legal resident status in the United States after a year.

Injured Cuban flown to Florida will be allowed to seek asylum
September 19, 2000
Survivors of crashed Cuban plane face questions about hijacking
September 20, 2000
Qatar Airways jet hijacked; man gives himself up
September 14, 2000

U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
Federal Aviation Administration
U.S. Coast Guard
Cubaweb

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