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MS Ship
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MCU Pan across side of ship showing Cubans looking over side..
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LS to zoom: Deck of ship..
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MS to MCU U.S. seaplane flies past..
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LS Ship...
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MS Launch comes alongside ship..
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MLS Plane circles overhead..
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MCU Two Cubans boxing on deck, pan to feet...
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MCU and CU Various shot of Cubans dancing..
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MCU-CU Cubans playing drums and marimba..
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MCU-CU Face shots of Cubans dancing..
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LS Cubans descent ladder to boat..
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LS Cuban standing on aft deck of boat..
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MLS Ship with boat alongside..
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Cuban freighter; Cuban athletes practicing aboard their ship; pro-Castroites aboard a small boat; Cuban athletes dancing aboard ship.




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A delegation of Cuban athletes came ashore at San Juan, Puerto Rico Saturday (11 June) by tugboat after a two day wait at sea. They were barred by the U.S. government from entering Puerto Rican waters in their ship. They arrived just in time for the opening of the 10th Central American and Caribbean Games.

A tugboat shuttled the 364 athletes, and their trainers ashore from the 3000-ton freighter "Serro Pelado", which had been anchored three miles outside San Juan harbour since Thursday morning. The delay arose when Cuban authorities aboard the ship refused to alow the athletes to disembark on a small craft provided by the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee.

The Cubans were given U.S. visas more than a week ago and had been expected to fly to Puerto Rico via Mexico or Jamaica. But Cuban Premier Fidel Castro chose instead to ship the team to San Juan by freighter.

On Friday (10 June), while the Cubans waited aboard their ship, a smaller boat carrying pro-Cuban Puerto Ricans moved alongside and cheered the athletes.

There were no incidents when the Cuban sportsmen arrived in San Juan, and health, customs and immigration authorities passed them through in record time.