American grandma quits Cuba swim bid

Veteran long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad was plucked from the Florida Straits yesterday after giving up on her fourth and likely final attempt to make the 103-mile swim from Cuba to the United States.

The American grandmother, who celebrates her 63rd birthday today, set out on Saturday and had spent more than 60 hours battling squalls and jellyfish when she abandoned her efforts to reach the Florida Keys.

Mark Sollinger, a leader of the support team, told CNN a powerful and "extremely difficult Gulf Stream" had pushed her badly off course.