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We asked longtime pilot and Brothers to the Rescue founder José Basulto whether skill helped him avoid being shot down by Cuban MiGs. “Skill?” he asked. “What kind of skill can you put between yourself and a missile in an aircraft that only sees straight ahead?” We think he’s just being modest. After all, by 1994, Basulto and his twin-engine Cessna had flown more than 4,000 life-saving missions to aid Cuban rafters attempting to cross the Florida Straits. That’s a lot of practice. Unfortunately, he lost buddies along the way, namely Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, Pablo Morales, and Carlos Costa. Those four went down after being shot out of international airspace in an infamous 1996 incident. Find out what events led to that momentous tragedy when author Lily Prellezo speaks at Books & Books and reads from Seagull One: The Amazing True Story of Brothers to the Rescue. The work, which she co-wrote with Basulto, tells the story of the organization, from its modest beginnings to the present day.
Sat., Nov. 27, 8 p.m., 2010
