Arya News - The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.
( NewsNation ) — Four people were killed and six others wounded Wednesday after the crew of a Florida-registered speedboat opened fire on a Cuban border patrol vessel, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.
This confrontation involved a civilian boat attempting to evacuate relatives from the island, a U.S. official told The New York Times.
The ministry said the vessel, bearing a Florida registration number, had penetrated approximately 1 nautical mile into Cuban waters near Cayo Falcones, in the Corralillo municipality of Villa Clara province, when a five-member Border Guard patrol approached for identification.
Larry Summers resigns from Harvard following investigation into Epstein emails
The crew of the speedboat opened fire, wounding the commander of the Cuban vessel, authorities said. Cuban forces returned fire.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was briefed by U.S. Coast Guard leadership about the incident, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The U.S. official, who spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity, said the vessel was a civilian boat and not a U.S. Navy or Coast Guard craft, and that it was part of a flotilla attempting to bring relatives out of Cuba.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said he had directed the state’s Office of Statewide Prosecution to open an investigation in coordination with federal and state law enforcement partners.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier said.
US says Venezuela’s oil can go to Cuba
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., a Cuban American who represents Florida’s 28th Congressional District, called the incident an attack on U.S. civilians. “The dictatorship in Cuba has just attacked a boat from Florida and murdered those on board,” Gimenez wrote on X . “This regime must be relegated to the dust bin of history.”
Cuba defended the use of force, saying it remains committed to protecting its territorial waters and that national defense is “a fundamental pillar” of the Cuban state. Authorities said investigations are continuing.
“I agree with Rep. Carlos. We need a full investigation into this deeply concerning situation and to determine what happened. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., wrote on X . “The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable!”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.