Cuban naval vessel hijacked

Miami - A Coast Guard cutter last night took off 27 people from a Cuban naval vessel that Havana said had been hijacked, Coast Guard officials said.

Earlier Cuba contacted the Coast Guard to report that a naval vessel had been hijacked and one of its crew members killed near the port of Mariel. The vessel was reported to be crossing to the Florida port of Key West, 90 miles (144km) away.

Meanwhile, officials in Florida are planning a state-wide drill to prepare for a potential immigration emergency after Cuba threatened to unleash a flood of refugees. Agencies