Federal Bureau of Investigation agents have traveled to Cuba this week to conduct an independent examination of a deadly February incident involving an American-flagged speedboat that resulted in five fatalities.
The shooting took place on February 25 when Cuban Border Patrol forces engaged with occupants of the vessel, which Cuban authorities claim was attempting to infiltrate the island. Ten individuals were aboard the speedboat during the confrontation, with five others sustaining injuries in the gunfire exchange. Cuban officials have characterized the incident as a terrorist operation conducted by Cuban expatriates residing in the United States.
A U.S. diplomatic source familiar with the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that the FBI technical team arrived Tuesday to begin their comprehensive review. The official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization for public comment, declined to specify the number of agents involved or the expected duration of their stay in Cuba.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel had previously indicated in March his expectation that FBI personnel would visit the island to assist with the investigation.
According to Cuban military officials, their forces detected the speedboat carrying ten men and military gear in waters north of Cuba. They maintain that those aboard the vessel initiated the gunfire, prompting soldiers to respond defensively. Four individuals died immediately in the exchange, while a fifth succumbed to wounds later. Six others were injured, including one crew member from the Cuban military vessel.
The surviving individuals now face terrorism charges that could result in life imprisonment.
This incident occurred during a period of elevated tensions between the two nations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that the group was not conducting a U.S. government operation and indicated that American officials would work to confirm the details provided by Cuban authorities.
Following the shooting, senior officials from Cuba’s Interior Ministry and Revolutionary Armed Forces publicly presented military equipment confiscated from the speedboat and acknowledged communication with the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the incident.
The confiscated materials included high-powered rifles, handguns, military uniforms, boots, protective helmets, specialized food rations, an electric generator, satellite communication equipment, and more than 12,000 rounds of ammunition.
