Cuban authorities announced Wednesday that their military personnel fatally shot four individuals traveling on a speedboat registered in Florida after those aboard the vessel fired weapons at Cuban forces in territorial waters.
The Caribbean nation’s Interior Ministry released a brief statement regarding the deadly encounter, specifying that the confrontation took place approximately one mile northeast of Cayo Falcones along Cuba’s northern coastline.
Authorities have not confirmed whether any American citizens were among those on the watercraft.
While Cuban officials disclosed the vessel’s registration information, The Associated Press could not immediately confirm boat ownership details since Florida does not make watercraft registration records available to the public.
According to the ministry’s account, the incident resulted in injuries to one Cuban military member, four fatalities among the boat’s occupants, and six additional people wounded.
The purpose behind the boat’s presence in Cuban territorial waters remains unknown.
In their official statement, ministry representatives said Cuba’s administration was “safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed Wednesday evening that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had briefed him regarding the incident. Vance noted that the White House was keeping watch over developments but refused to share additional information.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be,” Vance said.
Florida’s attorney general, James Uthmeier, announced he has directed prosecutors to collaborate with federal, state and law enforcement agencies to launch an investigation.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.
Florida Representative Carlos A. Gimenez condemned the four deaths and labeled the Cuban administration as murderers.
“This regime must be relegated to the dust bin of history!” he wrote on X.
Confrontations between Cuba’s maritime forces and American-flagged speedboats operating in Cuban waters occur regularly, though recent incidents involving gunfire from passengers or resulting in deaths have not been documented.
Historically, some American-registered vessels have carried unspecified cargo toward the island nation or attempted to transport Cuban nationals illegally into United States territory.
U.S. Coast Guard representatives did not respond immediately to requests for information. Both the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security referred inquiries to the State Department, which has not yet provided a response.
This confrontation unfolds amid escalating tensions between Washington and Havana following increased pressure from the Trump administration. The two nations previously worked together on anti-drug trafficking efforts and other criminal matters but have discontinued such cooperation.
