Cuban authorities say a deadly confrontation unfolded on February 25, 2026, when their Border Guard intercepted a speedboat registered in Florida in Cayo Falcones waters off Cuba’s north-central coast. According to Cuba’s Interior Ministry, the vessel entered Cuban territorial waters and did not comply with orders to identify itself before opening fire on the Cuban patrol, injuring the commander of the Cuban boat. Cuban forces returned fire, killing four people aboard the speedboat and wounding six others, who were evacuated and received medical treatment.
The Cuban government claims the boat — with registration number FL7726SH — was carrying 10 armed individuals, mostly Cuban nationals living in the United States, and alleges they intended an “armed infiltration” with weapons including assault rifles, handguns and Molotov cocktails. Cuban officials have identified several people involved, including one of the deceased, and say some were wanted by Cuban authorities for alleged involvement in terrorism and violent acts.
Washington has begun its own review of the incident, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying officials will independently verify what happened and determine whether any victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents. Florida political leaders have also called for investigations into the use of lethal force. The precise motives of the speedboat’s occupants and the full sequence of events remain under scrutiny as international tension around the confrontation persists.News as reported.
