Eight youths seek to leave Cuba on a homemade raft

FROM CUBA
Eight youths seek to leave Cuba on a homemade raft

HAVANA, March 15 (Leonel Pérez Belette / www.cubanet.org) - On March 2
eight young dissidents left Cuba on a home-made raft. Three are back in
Cuba, one's body was picked up by a fisherman and four others are
missing sea.

The eight belonged to such anti-government organizations as Plantados
hasta la Democracia and the Comisión Nacional Cuba.

After being overturned several times by the high waves, the raft split
in two. Lost were oars, food and water.

According to survivor Omar Bustamante, who was making his tenth attempt
at reaching the United States, he and two others clung to one half and
five to the other half. Bustamante, Risco Bidot and Julio Beltrán were
picked up by a fisherman and turned over to border guards in Cuba.

The survivors suffered sun burns and were taken for medical treatment,
which Bustamante refused. He was taken to police headquarters for
questioning.

Four Cubans were picked up at sea off Honduras and might be the missing
omnes.

http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y06/mar06/22e10.htm