1996 shootdown of Brothers to the Rescue aircraft
A Cessna 337, similar to the aircraft involved | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 24 February 1996 |
| Summary | Two aircraft shot down by the Cuban Air Force |
| Site |
|
| Total fatalities | 4 |
| Total survivors | 4 |
| First aircraft | |
| Type | Cessna 337C Super Skymaster |
| Operator | Brothers to the Rescue |
| Registration | N5485S |
| Flight origin | Miami–Opa Locka Executive Airport |
| Occupants | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Second aircraft | |
| Type | Cessna 337C Super Skymaster |
| Operator | Brothers to the Rescue |
| Registration | N2456S |
| Flight origin | Miami–Opa Locka Executive Airport |
| Occupants | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Third aircraft | |
| Type | Cessna 337C Super Skymaster |
| Operator | Brothers to the Rescue |
| Registration | N2506 |
| Flight origin | Miami–Opa Locka Executive Airport |
| Occupants | 4 |
| Passengers | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Survivors | 4 |
On 24 February 1996 a Cuban Air Force Mikoyan MiG-29UB shot down two unarmed Cessna 337 Skymaster aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, an organization opposed to the Cuban government. The Organisation of American States (OAS) reported that no warning was given; Cuban government sources said "These people knew what they were doing. They were warned", and that the aircraft had entered Cuban airspace. All the occupants of the aircraft were killed: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre, Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales. A third Cessna involved escaped. Previous similar flights had released propaganda leaflets over Cuba.
Radar data and screen prints were provided by a United States Customs Service Supervisory Detection Systems Specialist who recorded the entire incident as it happened using data from a U.S. surveillance radar balloon in the Florida Keys.