Open: Four shot dead on US-registered speedboat, Cuba says
Cuba's government says four people were shot dead by Cuban border guards after passengers on a US-registered speedboat opened fire, and an investigation is now open as US officials move to clarify the circumstances. The dead were identified as Cuban nationals living in the United States, the interior ministry said.
Open questions around Florida-registered vessel FL7726SH near Cayo Falcones
The interior ministry posted an earlier statement online saying the Florida-registered vessel, with registration number FL7726SH, was detected near Cayo Falcones in the central Villa Clara province on Wednesday morning. The statement said the speedboat entered Cuba's territorial waters before the encounter with the island nation's border forces.
Border-guard approach, five-member patrol and a wounded commander
The ministry said a Cuban boat carrying five members of its border guard approached the speedboat for identification when "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 said. Those who were injured were evacuated and given medical assistance.
Passengers identified, six detained and one named among the dead
The interior ministry identified the six surviving passengers, who have since been detained, and one passenger who was killed. It said the four killed and the six wounded were all Cuban citizens. The ministry added that most of those on board "have prior records involving criminal and violent activity. "
Weapons, tactical gear and an alleged infiltration for "terrorist purposes"
The ministry said handguns, assault rifles and improvised explosive devices were recovered on the speedboat, along with other tactical gear. It described the 10 individuals on board as armed and said some had previous criminal records and intended to "carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes. " Separately, the interior ministry identified an eleventh person who it said had been arrested and had confessed to being part of the alleged plot.
US response: Marco Rubio, Saint Kitts and Nevis remarks and Coast Guard movement
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was also investigating the "highly unusual" incident and confirmed the boat was not carrying US government personnel before Havana released some of the passengers' identities. Rubio spoke from Saint Kitts and Nevis, where he had travelled to meet Caribbean leaders amid the Trump administration's push to ramp up pressure on Cuba's government, as well as other regional issues.
Rubio said, "We're going to find out exactly what happened, who was involved, and we'll make a determination on the basis of what we find out, " and vowed US investigators would move "quickly" to gather the key facts. He added that the US Coast Guard had travelled to the "vicinity" of the attack. He said investigators were trying to "clarify" the event, leaving some questions open about what the passengers were doing in the area.
Timing and wider context: tensions and a deepening fuel crisis
The interior ministry framed the episode as part of a confrontation that halted an alleged plot. The incident comes amid increased tensions between the United States and Cuba, and the Cuban government says the island is facing a deepening fuel crisis that has been worsened by the US blocking oil shipments from Venezuela.
