Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-16
u. S. Plane Locates
Freighter
Ship Found
1900 Miles
From Cubu
BY the Associated Prssa


today found the hijacked Vene-
zuelan freighter Anzoategui but
the ship refused to answer any
signals from the plane, the
Defense Department said.
The freighter was located at
9 am. est 1870 miles north
of Surinam Dutch Guiana,
1000 miles from Cuba and
apparently headed for Brazil
Brazilian authorities indi-
Gated the ship would be seized
and the hijackers would be
granted asylum should the ship
put into a Brazilian port.
Plane Continues to Circle
The plane was continuing to
circle the ship, the Defense
Department said.
The Navy said the plane
was attempting to communicate
with the freighter through use
of visual blinker signal and
radio.
The vessel first was reported
travelling south southeasterly,
on a course of $50 degrees, at
a speed of IL knots.
The plane reported the
freighter later changed to a
Slightly more southeasterly
course, possibly to avoid shall
low water. The new heading
was reported to be 1870 degrees.
The P-2V plane is from
Patrol Squadron S, based at
Jacksonville, Fla, but operat-
ing out of Roosevelt Roads at
San Juan, Puerto Rico
The initial Identification was
made by reading the ships
name on the fantail. The To-
cation at that time was given
as 8 degrees 9 minutes north
latitude and 81 degrees IA min
utes west longitude.
The Defense Department said
that the freighter was being
told but had ignored these in
structions from Admiral Robert
L. Dennison, Atlantic Fleet COM
mander:
set course for San Juan,
Puerto Rico. Report your course
and speed. Further instructions
will follow"
Message intercepted
The Navy also intercepted
the following partially garbled
message sent in the clear.
ostensibly from the Anzoategui:
Collect Associated Press San
Juan. Venezuelan National Lib
Grafton Armed Forces, Rudas
Mezones detachment. ship An
zoategui. Captain. officers,
crew are as usual. (Garbled at
this point will the U. s. offer
asylum to members of the Ma
tional Liberation Armed Forces
the same as Cuba. We are
awaiting an answer. Medina
Rojas."
The vessel was taken over by
the Communist group Tues
day. The Navy had Joined in
the search at the request Of the
Venezuelan government.
There had been strong spec
ulation the hijackers would
take the ship TO Cuba, which
yesterday publicly offered them
asylum.
But the freighter was more
than 1000 miles southeast Of
Cuba at 6 am. est when 1t
was located.
No Bar TO Asylum Seen
In Brazil. President Joao
Goulart and Foreign Minister
Hermes Lima conferred on the
possibility the ship would at
tempt TO put into port there.
/ A high Brazilian government
source indicated the hijackers
would be granted political
asylum II they did so. He said
the right TO political asylum Is
Brazilian tradition which I
do not believe will now be
changed.
A source at Brazilian navy
headquarters said the ship may
be heading for the northern
port OF Belem. near the mouth
OF the Amazon River. Another
possibility Is Recife in the
northeast, hundreds OF miles
farther down the coast.
1861 HIjackinE Recalled
II was TO Brazil that Portu-
guese Capt. Henrique Galvao
took the seized Portuguese liner
Santa Maria In February. 1861.
after he had taken control OF
the ship and It's $50 passengers
and crew.
Capt. Galvao's action was a
protest against the rule Of
Antonio de Oliveira Salazar,
the Portuguese dictator
The United States Navy
spent five or six days trying TO
See HIJACK, Page A-3