Two Brothers to the Rescue planes cruising the Florida Straits on Saturday were warned by federal aviation officials that Cuban air force fighters were in the area and were told to return to South Florida.

The planes were conducting what the volunteer pilots described as a routine search for Cuban rafters, about 17 miles northwest of Havana. When they contacted their headquarters at Opa-locka Airport shortly after noon to report their position, they were told Federal Aviation Administration observers had noticed ``high-speed military activity'' in their area.

``Right away we headed north, bound for home,'' said Guillermo Lares, the mission commander.

Although the Brothers pilots were in international airspace and did not see the Cuban warplanes, they heeded the FAA recommendation to avoid an incident, Lares said. Two Brothers volunteers were aboard each plane.

On Monday, Jose Basulto, the organization's president, described the incident as ``renewed intimidation from [Fidel] Castro.'' He said U.S. military radar detected the presence of the Cuban planes and State and Defense department officials phoned him to confirm the incident.

Both agencies said Monday the Brothers planes were in international airspace. Cuba claims sovereignty over a 12-mile zone beyond its shores.

A State Department official said Monday one of the Brothers planes had flown about two miles north of the Cuban demarcation line, in accordance with a flight plan submitted in advance to U.S. authorities. There was no contact between the State Department and Cuban authorities over the incident, the official said.

Neither the FAA nor Cuban authorities had any comment Monday.

On Feb. 24, 1996, two Cuban MiG fighters downed two Cessna 337 Skymasters operated by Brothers to the Rescue over international waters, killing four crewmen. Havana later alleged the civilian planes had violated Cuban airspace.

The downing heightened tensions between Washington and Havana and led President Clinton to sign the Helms-Burton Act, which tightens the trade embargo against the Castro government.

``The same advisory sent out this weekend could have been sent out Feb. 24, and the death of four of our brothers could have been prevented,'' Lares said.

This report was supplemented with Herald wire services.

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald