Cuba Says Four Killed on Florida‑Registered Speedboat Were Armed U.S.-Based Cubans Attempting Terrorist Infiltration
Cuba’s Interior Ministry says its coast guard intercepted a Florida‑registered speedboat about one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel off Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara, and that when Border Guard troops approached the vessel those aboard opened fire; Havana says four people were killed, six wounded, one Cuban officer injured, weapons and Molotov cocktails were seized, and the occupants were armed Cubans living in the U.S. whom it describes as attempting a terrorist infiltration (naming several individuals). U.S. and Florida officials — including the State Department, DHS, Coast Guard and Florida’s attorney general — have opened independent investigations, have said there was no U.S. government operation in Cuban waters, and warned that the nationalities and identities of those aboard have not been independently verified.
📌 Key Facts
- Cuba’s Interior Ministry says Border Guard troops approached a Florida‑registered speedboat about one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel (off Cayo Falcones, Villa Clara) when those aboard opened fire; Cuban forces say they returned fire.
- Cuba reports four people aboard the boat were killed, six were wounded, and one Cuban officer was injured; the wounded were evacuated and treated in Cuba.
- Havana says the vessel carried 10 armed Cuban nationals living in the United States, that some were previously designated as terrorists, and that authorities recovered assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, body armor and camouflage — calling the episode an attempted 'terrorist' infiltration.
- Cuban authorities released names of several passengers and identified Michel Ortega Casanova as one of the dead; Michel Ortega’s brother told AP that Michel was a U.S. citizen who had lived in the United States for more than 20 years.
- U.S. officials — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, DHS and the Coast Guard — have opened independent inquiries; Rubio briefed Vice President JD Vance, Florida’s attorney general has launched a state probe, and members of Congress have demanded answers.
- Independent verification is lacking: U.S. agencies had not immediately corroborated Havana’s account, recreational boat registration records in Florida are not public, and reporters emphasized that ownership, the nationalities of those aboard and the precise sequence of events remain to be verified.
- The encounter occurred one day after the 30th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shoot‑down and comes amid heightened U.S.–Cuba tensions and reduced bilateral law‑enforcement cooperation, which outlets cited as relevant context.
- The Cuban Embassy in Washington referred press to the Interior Ministry statement and offered no additional details beyond Havana’s account.
📰 Source Timeline (19)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 26, 2026
2:32 PM
Cuba says 4 killed in speedboat shooting were attempting to infiltrate the country
New information:
- Cuba now states that all 10 people on the Florida‑registered speedboat were armed Cubans living in the United States who were trying to infiltrate the island to 'unleash terrorism.'
- Havana identifies two passengers, Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, as already wanted for terrorism‑related activities, and says detainee Duniel Hernández Santos has 'confessed' to being sent from the U.S. to receive the armed group.
- Cuba releases additional names of passengers, including Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra, and says one of the dead was Michel Ortega Casanova.
- Michel Ortega’s brother tells AP that Michel was a truck driver and an American citizen who had lived more than 20 years in the U.S., and describes him as obsessed with 'Cuba’s freedom,' providing an on‑the‑record U.S. family account.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in St. Kitts, calls such a shootout at sea with Cuba 'highly unusual,' stresses that multiple U.S. agencies are gathering their own facts and that Washington will not rely solely on Cuban authorities’ version.
2:02 PM
What we know after Cuban forces kill 4 people on speedboat from Florida
New information:
- CBS piece re‑states that Cuban officials allege the boat was from Florida and carried weapons when it entered Cuban waters.
- It reconfirms Cuban claims that four people were killed and six wounded by Cuban forces during the encounter.
- The segment emphasizes that this is the Cuban government’s account and does not add independent corroboration or new U.S. government detail beyond what is already reported in text stories.
1:38 PM
4 killed on speedboat after allegedly opening fire on Cuban Border Patrol
New information:
- Cuban officials told CBS that everyone on the speedboat were Cuban nationals living in the United States.
- CBS reiterates that four people on the speedboat were killed and 'several' others were arrested after the exchange of fire with Cuban Border Patrol.
- The segment frames the deaths explicitly as the result of the boat allegedly opening fire on Cuban Border Patrol, reinforcing Havana’s version of the sequence.
1:35 PM
Rubio calls Cuban shootout with stolen speedboat 'highly unusual,' withholds judgment
New information:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Saint Kitts, called the shootout between Cuba’s coast guard and a U.S.-registered speedboat 'highly unusual' and said the U.S. will conduct its own investigation rather than rely on Havana’s version.
- Rubio said 'there are a number of things that could have happened' and explicitly refused to speculate on scenarios or potential consequences until Washington has its own verified information.
- Vice President JD Vance confirmed Rubio briefed him and said the administration is closely monitoring the case but still lacks key facts, adding 'hopefully it’s not as bad as we fear it could be.'
- Rubio declined to say what consequences Cuba might face if those killed or wounded on the boat turn out to be U.S. citizens, stressing that further analysis is needed.
12:19 PM
U.S. and Iran to hold nuclear talks. And, Harvard professor resigns over Epstein ties
New information:
- NPR reports that Cuba’s Interior Ministry says border troops exchanged gunfire late Wednesday with a Florida‑registered boat near the El Pino channel off Cayo Falcones, killing four people and wounding six.
- Cuban officials claim the boat was carrying 'terrorists trying to infiltrate the island' and say soldiers recovered assault rifles, handguns and Molotov cocktails from the vessel.
- The Cuban government states the men aboard were Cubans living in the U.S. and that it had previously designated some of them as terrorists.
- This adds operational detail — precise location, timing, and the specific weapons Cuba says it found — on top of the earlier high‑level description that U.S. and Florida authorities are probing the incident.
- The NPR piece notes Havana’s narrative but does not contain independent U.S. confirmation of those claims, underscoring the need for verification as Washington investigates.
3:43 AM
U.S. launches investigation after Cuba kills 4 on Florida boat
New information:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio says U.S. officials — including DHS and the Coast Guard — have opened an independent investigation into Cuba’s account of the incident, focusing on what happened and the nationalities and legal statuses of those on board.
- Rubio stresses there was no U.S. government operation in Cuban waters and no American personnel involved, calling such open‑sea shootouts with Cuba 'highly unusual' and rare in recent history.
- Cuba’s Interior Ministry specifies that the U.S.-registered speedboat came within one nautical mile of the central Cuban coast, carried 10 armed Cuban nationals residing in the U.S., and allegedly opened fire first, with Cuban forces seizing rifles, pistols, Molotov cocktails, body armor and camouflage.
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announces that his office will mount its own investigation with federal and state partners, saying 'the Cuban government cannot be trusted' and vowing to 'hold these communists accountable.'
- Vice President JD Vance confirms he has been briefed by Rubio, says the administration is monitoring the situation and that 'hopefully it's not as bad as we fear it could be,' while Rep. Carlos Gimenez calls for U.S. authorities to determine whether any victims were U.S. citizens or legal residents.
- Cuba characterizes the intercepted vessel as an infiltration mission for 'terrorist purposes' and issues a statement on X asserting its determination to defend its territorial waters as a matter of national sovereignty.
2:06 AM
2/25: CBS Evening News
New information:
- CBS Evening News reiterates Cuba’s core claim that four people were killed aboard a U.S./Florida‑registered speedboat after it entered Cuban waters and allegedly opened fire.
- The CBS segment confirms the basic outline of the Cuban account but, in this brief form, does not add new details on identities of those killed, U.S. confirmation, or investigative steps beyond what was already in the existing story.
1:01 AM
Marco Rubio addresses Cuba's statement that it killed 4 on Florida-registered boat
New information:
- CBS segment shows Sen. Marco Rubio directly addressing Cuba’s statement that its coast guard killed four people on a Florida‑registered speedboat.
- Rubio’s comments highlight U.S. political concern over Cuba’s version of events and the fate and identities of those killed.
- The interview underscores that major U.S. media and lawmakers are now treating the Cuban account as a live diplomatic and security issue, not a closed case.
12:10 AM
4 killed aboard U.S. speedboat that entered Cuban waters and opened fire, Cuba says
New information:
- CBS reiterates Cuba’s claim that four people on a U.S. speedboat were killed after the vessel entered Cuban waters and allegedly opened fire on Cuban forces.
- The CBS segment frames the boat specifically as a 'Florida speedboat,' consistent with prior reporting that the vessel was Florida‑registered.
- No additional corroborating U.S. government detail, identities of the dead, or independent evidence is provided beyond Cuba’s account.
February 25, 2026
11:31 PM
Cuban coast guard kills 4 people who opened fire from U.S. civilian speedboat, Cuba says
New information:
- CBS piece explicitly describes the vessel as a U.S.-registered civilian speedboat and reiterates that Cuba claims those aboard opened fire first.
- The segment underscores that all four people on board were killed by Cuban coast guard forces during the encounter.
- It highlights that the report is based on an official Cuban statement carried by state media and being relayed to U.S. audiences by CBS.
10:32 PM
Cuba says it killed 4 people aboard Florida-registered speedboat that opened fire on soldiers
New information:
- Cuba’s Interior Ministry says the speedboat, registered in Florida, was about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Cayo Falcones off Cuba’s north coast when the encounter occurred.
- Cuban authorities allege the boat opened fire on officers; one Cuban officer was injured, four people aboard the boat were killed and six others were injured.
- The Associated Press was unable to verify ownership details of the vessel from Florida records because recreational boat registrations are not public.
- U.S. Coast Guard, DHS, State Department and White House all declined or did not immediately provide comment; the Pentagon referred questions to State.
- The article notes past U.S.–Cuba Coast Guard skirmishes and that bilateral cooperation on drug smuggling and related crimes has largely halted under Trump, framing the incident in a context of rising tensions.
9:42 PM
Florida launches probe after Cuba kills 4 aboard US-flagged speedboat near Keys
New information:
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier says he has directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to work with federal, state and local partners to begin an investigation into the incident.
- Rep. Carlos Gimenez is identified as the first to highlight the Cuban Interior Ministry’s report and says he has asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio for more details and full federal attention.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar and Sen. Rick Scott publicly say they are closely following reports and call for a full investigation, with Scott explicitly demanding accountability for the Cuban regime.
- The article notes that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in the Caribbean (Basseterre, St. Kitts) when the incident became public and that the press pool has asked him about it.
- Florida officials and Cuban critics quoted here underline that Havana 'cannot be trusted,' framing the state probe as a response to what they see as unreliable Cuban claims.
9:30 PM
Cuba says it killed 4 people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat who fired on soldiers
New information:
- Confirms Interior Ministry’s account that Cuban soldiers killed four people aboard a Florida‑registered speedboat after the boat allegedly opened fire on officers in Cuban waters.
- Specifies the location as about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Cayo Falcones off Cuba’s north coast.
- Reports that one Cuban officer was injured, four suspects were killed, and six other people on the boat were wounded.
- Notes that it is unclear whether any U.S. citizens were aboard and that Florida boat registrations are not public, preventing quick independent verification of the hull number.
- States that U.S. Coast Guard, DHS, State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
- Provides context that U.S.–Cuba cooperation on drug smuggling and other crimes has stopped under mounting Trump‑administration pressure, though such skirmishes have occurred in past years.
9:11 PM
Cuba says at least 4 killed in gunfire exchange with Florida-registered speedboat
New information:
- CBS encapsulates the Cuban account as four people 'who entered Cuban waters on a Florida speedboat and opened fire,' emphasizing Cuban claims the boat crossed into Cuban territory before firing.
- The CBS segment is framed from the U.S. side with a White House correspondent, signaling the administration is tracking the incident; even if no new U.S. statement is quoted here, it underscores Washington’s awareness.
- The video packaging and headline language ('gunfire exchange') reinforce that Cuba is characterizing this as a firefight, not just a one-sided use of force.
9:04 PM
Live Updates: Cuban Government Says Troops Kill 4 on Florida Speedboat
New information:
- New York Times live report quotes a U.S. official saying the speedboat was part of a Florida-based civilian flotilla attempting to get relatives out of Cuba and was not a U.S. Navy or Coast Guard vessel.
- The Cuban Interior Ministry’s statement is pinned down to a Facebook post specifying the clash happened about one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, north of Corralillo in Villa Clara province.
- NYT notes timing and symbolism: the shootout occurred one day after the 30th anniversary of the Brothers to the Rescue shoot‑down, and includes fresh comments from that group’s leader, José Basulto, calling for U.S. indictments of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.
- Additional context from NYT reporters that the confrontation is unfolding as the U.S. has effectively built an oil blockade around Cuba, deepening its energy and economic crisis and raising tensions Washington is "hoping to strangle" Havana into submission.
- Confirmation that the Cuban Embassy in Washington is referring press only to the Interior Ministry statement and has offered no additional details beyond Havana’s account.
8:48 PM
Four Dead After Cuba Intercepts U.S.-Registered Speedboat
New information:
- Confirms the incident occurred off the coast of Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province on Cuba’s north‑central coast.
- Reiterates that the speedboat was U.S.-registered in Florida and that Cuban authorities say it opened fire when approached.
- Restates that the commander of the Cuban patrol boat was injured during the clash.
8:48 PM
Cuba says it killed 4 people on speedboat from Florida who opened fire off Cuban coast
New information:
- CBS piece reiterates that the Cuban Interior Ministry is the source of the claim that the speedboat came from Florida and that Cuban coastguard forces killed four people after the vessel allegedly opened fire off Cuba’s coast.
- Confirms Cuba is framing the incident as a defensive response to hostile fire in its coastal waters, rather than, for example, an interception of migrants or smugglers without an exchange of fire.
8:14 PM
Cuba says it killed 4 people on boat from Florida who opened fire
New information:
- Cuban Interior Ministry places the incident one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino canal in Cayo Falcones and confirms the vessel was Florida‑registered.
- Ministry says five Border Guard Troops approached the speedboat for identification when, according to Cuba, those aboard opened fire, injuring the Cuban boat’s commander.
- Cuba reports four people on the speedboat were killed and six wounded, with the injured evacuated and given medical care in Cuba.
- Authorities say it remains unclear who the occupants were, where they were from, or why they entered Cuban waters and allegedly opened fire, and that an investigation is ongoing.
- Cuba’s statement explicitly frames the response as defending national sovereignty and reiterates its intent to protect territorial waters.