Legal Opinion

Rich v. Vacuba

Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Decided September 7, 1961No. 8448PublishedCited by 1 opinion

1Per curiam

The vessel Bahia de Nipe sailed on August 8, 1961, from Cuba with a cargo of 5,000 bags of sugar destined for a Russian port. When on August 17 the ship was about 300 miles east of Bermuda the master and ten of his crewmen put the rest of the crew under restraint, turned the vessel towards Hampton Roads, Virginia, and notified the Coast Guard of their intention to seek asylum in the United States. As they crossed the three-mile limit and neared the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay the vessel was met by the Coast Guard and taken to anchorage off Lynnhaven, Virginia.

These proceedings were begun…

2Cases cited3 opinions

Ex Parte Republic of PeruSupreme Court of the United States · 1943
Republic of Mexico v. HoffmanSupreme Court of the United States · 1945
Compania Espanola De Navegacion Maritima, SA v. the NavemarSupreme Court of the United States · 1938

3Cited by1 opinion

James Rich and Walter Precha, Libellants, and Nick Daratsakis, Intervening Libellant v. Naviera Vacuba S. A., and Republic of Cuba, Mayan Lines S. A., Libellant v. Republic of Cuba and the M/v Bahia De Nipe, United Fruit Sugar Company, a Delaware Corporation, Libellant v. 5,000 Tons of Sugar, in Rem, Now Laden on Board the M/v Bahia De Nipe, Now in Lynnhaven Roads, Virginia, and Augustin Albella, Acting Master, in Personam, Jorge Navarro, Omar Parets, Jaime Merchan, Enrique Cardonne, Matias Barraza, Ricardo Alvarez, Jeronimo Mayordomo, Ramon Tocoronte, Juan Mazola, Everardo Amarante, Iluminado Leyva, Libellants v. The M/v Bahia De NipeCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 1961