Information regarding crash of U.S. registered plane north of Jamaica

At approximately 11:54 am, September 5, 2014, the Miami Air Route Control Center reported that a TBM-700 airplane, tail number N900KN, with one crew member and two passengers aboard, was being accompanied by two U.S. Air Force F-15 aircraft, at some 100 nautical miles from Grand Bahama. The aircraft was apparently out of control, according to the military pilots who observed the crew and passengers unresponsive, possibly in a state of hypoxia.

Simultaneously, this information was communicated to the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C. by the State Department, and by the U.S. Interest Section in Havana to Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Relations.

At this time, U.S. aeronautical authorities informed the Aerial Transit Control Center in Havana that the F-15 military planes would not fly below the 24th parallel, the southernmost limit of the U.S. Flight Information Region, and that a Coast Guard aircraft would be sent to accompany the un-responsive airplane. Authorization was requested from Cuban authorities to fly in Cuban airspace, given the direction of flight, which was granted, including for the military aircraft, if that should have been necessary. Both the endangered airplane and the U.S. Coast Guard C-130 flew over Cuban territory.

During the unresponsive airplane’s entire flight, beginning as soon as it was detected by Cuban Aircraft Control centers, vigilance measures were increased in the country’s central and eastern regions, including those related to the Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue System of the Republic of Cuba.

The U.S. Department was informed that search and rescue equipment was ready to provide any help required.

When the aircraft disappeared from radar, Jamaican authorities reported that they would assume the search and rescue operation to locate presumed victims, since the plane went down in their area of responsibility.

Throughout the entire period, communication was maintained with U.S. authorities, who were informed of each measure taken regarding this incident.