Elian Gonzalez Case: Plane Carrying 6-Year-Old Boy's Grandmothers Departing Havana Airport
GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: I am being told now we have an update on the Cuban boy's grandmothers leaving Havana. Martin Savage is on the phone with us from there -- Martin.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gene, we are at terminal number one here at the Havana airport, and we have been watching, as just moments ago we saw the two grandmothers of Elian Gonzalez walk out on to the tarmac and board a charter jet. It is the same jet that arrived here from New York last night baring the delegation with the National Council of Churches. Now the door of that aircraft has been closed. It is a white, sort of, executive jet and we hear the engines revving up. So it is clear that their departure to the United States is believed to be imminent. They are said to be traveling directly to New York City. They are anticipated to arrive there later this afternoon. All of this, of course, a dramatic turn of events from what was thought last night, after a meeting between family members here in Cuba and the National Council of Churches, it was stated after that meeting that they were tired and that they needed prayers from the people, and essentially no agreement had been struck. Well, then this morning, a dramatic turn of events, where apparently the delegation had been meeting amongst itself, and then Juan Miguel, that is Elian Gonzalez's father, showed up, and then shortly thereafter, the announcement was made that the grandmothers have agreed to go to the U.S. to, as they put it, state their case to the American people. Now as we watch, we can see the white charter jet taxiing away from the terminal here, apparently beginning the first leg of the journey, whose outcome is still not exactly known -- Gene.</s>RANDALL: Thanks, Martin. We, of course, will have more on this story later.