ICAO REPORT:

In the ICAO report, the United States has stated that there were no other small civilian aircraft in the area other than the BTTR aircraft and the Cuban interceptor MiGs. In the transcript between the MiGs and the Cuban controllers, the MiGs positively identify the third BTTR aircraft, just as it had done with the other two aircraft, prior to shooting them down. Yet it is interesting to note that in paragraph 1. 1.47 of the ICAO report, the U.S. accuses Cuba of chasing a non-existing (non-existing because the U.S. agrees that there were no other aircraft in the vicinity) light blue and white Cessna # 337 and Cuba agrees that the Cessna it was chasing was not the third BTTR aircraft. This bizarre explanation adopted by both the Unites States and Cuba appears to be a convenient position for both parties to take, to cover-up the fact the Cuban MiGs crossed the 24th parallel. This position has been beneficial to the United States in contending that its response was only mildly inadequate. It has also been beneficial to the Cubans in that it makes the murder of the pilots less egregious. See ICAO report pg. 13 paragraph 1.1.47.

In conclusion, when the U.S. Air Force radar print screens and location data, are cross referenced with the transcripts of the Cuban MiGs with their controllers, both documents concur that the last remaining BTTR aircraft was well to the North of the 24th parallel and that the Cuban MiGs were within 3 minutes of reaching the United States and very close to U.S. shore. This notwithstanding it is clear that the U.S. response was grossly inadequate, given the full knowledge of the dangerous circumstance.

1.1.47 At 15:31 hours a second pair of Cuban military interceptor was launched to pursue a radar contact east of Havana and north of Bejucal. At 15:40 hours the interceptors were directed to fly north from a position 5 kilometres north of Santa Cruz in pursuit of a radar contact. At 15:45 hours the interceptors reported seeing a light blue and white Cessna 337 but were unable to read the registration. This aircraft was reported to be at an altitude of approximately 2 000 m. At 15:51 hours the interceptors were instructed to discontinue the mission. According to the authorities in Cuba, the reason was that the contact was then outside Cuban territorial airspace and withdrawing to the northeast. United States radar sources indicated that this search was in the area of 23 35N 082 58W, and did not show any radar contact in that area other than the Cuban interceptors. At the time of this Search N2506 was tracking well to the north and was at 15:46 hours according to both the Cuban and the United States radar records, some 40 NM northwest of the Cuban interceptors