The clash along the Florida Straits is said to have left four dead and six others wounded after the Cuban Coast Guard fired on a speedboat registered in Florida on Wednesday morning. The episode occurred approximately one nautical mile off Falcones Cay in the north-central province of Villa Clara.
The vessel the Cuban Interior Ministry's official Florida registration number was FL7726SH—was a target for criminal activity because it was allegedly located along illegal routes in the territorial waters of Cuba, according to one statement. As a Cuban patrol unit approached the speedboat to trace its crew, members of the American vessel opened fire first, injuring the Cuban commander, the ministry contends.
Casualties and Medical Response
The gunfire exchanged afterward resulted in heavy casualties on the civilian vessel:
- Dead: Four of the speedboat’s passengers were shot in the shootout.
- Injured: Six other passengers were injured and evacuated to medical care by Cuban authorities. One Cuban Border Guard commander was injured but said to be in good physical condition.
Official details about the identities and nationalities of those on the boat have not been revealed, though an official on Capitol Hill told The New York Times the boat may have been a civilian boat trying to take relatives off the island.
Strained U.S.-Cuba Relations
The incident comes after days of extended clashes between Washington and Havana. Relations have soured after U.S. forces seized the presidency of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, 2026, severing Cuba's main line of oil supply. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said from a summit in St. Kitts and Nevis, the U.S. was conducting its own independent investigation.
“It is so rare to see shootouts of the sort right here on open sea like that,” Rubio said in speaking to reporters. “We’re going to be able to fact-check as we hear more and be ready to address the situation on our own.”
Outrage in Florida
Florida officials, who have been hawkish toward the Cuban government for years, have swiftly condemned the shooting:
- Attorney General James Uthmeier: Is telling the Office of Statewide Prosecution to conduct an investigation, saying, “The Cuban government cannot be trusted.”
- Rep. Carlos Gimenez: Forced a federal probe into lethal force use, calling the issue a serious flagrant concern for vessels registered in the United States.
- Sen. Rick Scott: Said that the "communist Cuban regime" needs to be responsible for the deaths.
As of Thursday morning, the United States Coast Guard is still at high alert for threat in the Florida Straits, but Cuban officials say their tactics were a necessary measure to shield national sovereignty.
