A plane took off from Moscow today headed for Cuba, but the seat booked by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was empty, and there was no sign of him elsewhere on board.
An Aeroflot representative who wouldn't give her name told The Associated Press that Snowden wasn't on flight SU150 to Havana. AP reporters on the flight couldn't find him.
The Interfax news agency also quoted an unidentified Russian security source in Moscow as saying that Snowden wasn't on the plane.
The airline said earlier Snowden registered for the flight using his US passport, which American officials say has been annulled.
Snowden arrived in Moscow yesterday from Hong Kong, where he had been hiding for several weeks to evade US justice.
Ecuador is considering Snowden's asylum application.
After spending a night in Moscow's airport, the former National Security Agency contractor and admitted leaker of state secrets had been expected to fly to Cuba and Venezuela en route to possible asylum in Ecuador.
Snowden, also a former CIA technician, fled Hong Kong to dodge US efforts to extradite him on espionage charges.
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government had received an asylum request, adding today that the decision "has to do with freedom of expression and with the security of citizens around the world."
The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks also said it would help Snowden.
Ecuador has rejected the United States' previous efforts at cooperation, and has been helping WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange avoid prosecution by allowing him to stay at its embassy in London.
