The Cuban coast guard shot and killed four people and injured six others aboard a Florida‑registered speedboat on Wednesday, after Cuban officials said the vessel entered the island’s territorial waters.
Cuban authorities claim their forces were “safeguarding their sovereignty” when they opened fire, alleging that the speedboat’s occupants fired first as the vessel approached within about one nautical mile of the Cuban coast. They also said that the 10 people aboard were Cuban nationals living in the United States.
BREAKING: Cuba attacked a US-registered boat, killing 4 immigrants living in the US.
— DeVory Darkins (@devorydarkins) February 26, 2026
"Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the United States is now investigating a deadly confrontation off the coast of Cuba. Havana says Cuban forces killed four people and injured six others after… pic.twitter.com/hNWCkvyDF7
According to reports, the 10 passengers sought to topple the Cuban regime, as Havana argued the group planned a "terrorist infiltration" and all had criminal histories.
Cuban authorities identified two of the men as Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, who were wanted by the Cuban government for “the promotion, planning, organization, financing support or commission” of terrorism. Duniel Hernández Santos, who was also arrested, claimed he had been sent by the U.S. to “guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration.”
Aboard the Florida vessel, Cuban soldiers seized assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bulletproof vests, and camouflage gear.
The boat used in the incident was reported stolen, and the owner is not being considered a suspect at this time.
In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. will conduct its own investigation, refusing to take the communist government at its word and declaring that the United States will "find out exactly what happened and then we will respond accordingly."
SECRETARY RUBIO on CUBA: What I’m telling you is we’re going to find out exactly what happened and who was involved. We’re not going to just take what somebody else tells us.
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 26, 2026
I’m very confident we will be able to know the story independently. pic.twitter.com/965ul2lC8b
This comes as the Trump administration has increased economic pressure on the Cuban regime, with officials reportedly indicating they aim to topple the government during Trump’s second term.