Hijackers threaten ferry passengers

Armed hijackers seized a ferry off Cuba’s coast and threatened to toss passengers overboard if they cannot go to the United States, sparking a negotiating drama on the high seas.

The FBI said last night the ferry was drifting in international waters about 60 miles off Key West, Florida, and it had sent hostage negotiators by helicopter to the scene, where they met up with a US Coastguard cutter.

Fidel Castro’s government said it would handle the crisis in the Florida Straits. The US Coastguard confirmed that Cuba would take the lead role but said it was ready to assist.

“What we won’t do in any case is to use measures of force that put in danger the lives of the people aboard this boat,” Cuba said. It said 50 passengers were on board.

The seizing of the vessel came a day after a Cuban passenger plane was hijacked to Key West by a man who allegedly threatened to blow up the aircraft with two grenades that later turned out to be fake.

The latest crisis began early on Wednesday when a group of people armed with three pistols and at least one knife hijacked the ferry, Havana said in a statement read on state television.

The ferry provides service between Havana and the small communities of Casablanca and Regla on the other side of Havana Bay.

Cuba said two coastguard boats had followed the ferry out to the high seas, where they will remain to provide assistance in an emergency or to escort the ferry back to Cuba should the hijackers decide to turn the boat around.