Cubana de Aviación terrorist attack commemorated 50 years later

Commemorations have been held to mark the 50th anniversary of the terrorist attack on Cubana de Aviación flight 455, which occurred on October 6, 1976. The aircraft exploded off the coast of Barbados, killing all 73 people on board, including 24 members of the Cuban youth fencing team, as well as Guyanese and North Korean passengers.

Victims' families and Caribbean representatives have expressed ongoing demands for justice, noting that many of the intellectual authors of the attack have not faced full accountability. Investigations previously linked the sabotage to individuals working for security firms associated with Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosch.

In recognition of the tragedy, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Cuba established October 6 as the CARICOM-Cuba Day against Terrorism. The event serves as a collective memorial for the victims and a call to condemn aviation terrorism.