MIAMI, FL – Four people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat were killed Wednesday morning during an armed confrontation with Cuban Coast Guard forces after the vessel entered Cuban territorial waters, according to Cuban officials.
The Cuban Embassy said the incident occurred when the speedboat approached within one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel in Cuba’s Villa Clara province. Cuban Border Guard Troops confronted the vessel, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
According to the Cuban Embassy statement, the crew of the Florida-registered boat opened fire on Cuban personnel first. The commander of the Cuban Coast Guard vessel was injured in the shootout, while four people on the Florida speedboat were killed and six more were wounded.
Cuban officials said the six injured individuals from the Florida-registered speedboat were evacuated and have received medical assistance. Their nationalities have not been disclosed, and it remains unclear who was commanding the Florida vessel.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Embassy stated. “Investigations by the competent authorities continue in order to fully clarify the events.”
U.S. authorities have not yet commented on the incident. The Daily Mail contacted the U.S. State Department for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, who was born in Cuba, called for an immediate investigation into what he described as a “massacre.” Gimenez said U.S. authorities must determine whether any victims were American citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred.
“The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity,” Gimenez said. His office added that the incident “raises serious concerns about the use of lethal force against individuals on a vessel registered in the United States.”
Florida Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, the daughter of Cuban exiles, said she was “closely monitoring” the incident and awaiting further details from U.S. authorities.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he has directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to investigate the shooting and coordinate with federal, state and law enforcement partners. “The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier said.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Cuba following recent policy changes and enforcement actions. For weeks, the U.S. has been intercepting and seizing oil tankers headed for Cuba, though the Trump administration has not acknowledged instituting a formal blockade.
