Cuban authorities have reported that four individuals aboard a U.S.-registered speedboat were fatally shot by border guards after entering Cuban waters.
According to a statement from Cuba’s interior ministry, the occupants of the speedboat allegedly opened fire on a Cuban coast guard vessel that approached them.
The incident, which occurred near an island off Cuba’s northern coast, also resulted in injuries to six additional passengers.
The identities of those on board the vessel and the purpose of their presence in the area remain unclear. The Cuban government has stated that an investigation has been launched to “clarify” the circumstances.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry identified the vessel as registered in Florida with the number FL7726SH. It was reportedly detected near Cayo Falcones, in the central Villa Clara province, on Wednesday morning.
The statement further alleges that when a Cuban patrol boat carrying five border guard personnel approached the speedboat for identification, “the crew of the violating speedboat opened fire,” wounding the Cuban commander.
“As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six injured,” the ministry stated.
The injured individuals were evacuated and provided with medical assistance.
The BBC has reached out to the U.S. State Department and the White House for comment on the situation.
Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, a Cuban-American former mayor of Miami, has stated he will demand an investigation into what he described as a “massacre.”
He added that U.S. authorities “must determine whether any of the victims were US citizens or legal residents.”
This incident occurs amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, with the latter facing a worsening fuel crisis exacerbated by U.S. actions blocking oil shipments from Venezuela, a key regional ally.
The Cuban statement alluded to these tensions, affirming Cuba’s “determination to protect its territorial waters” and safeguard its sovereignty “in the face of current challenges.”
The incident also coincides with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Saint Kitts and Nevis to meet with Caribbean leaders, amidst the Trump administration’s efforts to increase pressure on the Cuban government, as well as address other regional matters.
It also occurred one day after Cuban-American groups in Miami commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown, in which four people were killed.
Wednesday’s incident has prompted several Florida lawmakers to call for an investigation and to criticize the Cuban government.
Florida Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar stated on social media that she is monitoring the situation and “awaiting further details from US authorities.”
James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he would direct local law enforcement to investigate the incident.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he stated.
In the U.S. Senate, Florida Republican Rick Scott demanded “a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened.”
“The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable!” he added.
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