Cuban Forces and US Vessel Exchange Fire at Sea, Casualties Reported
Cuban forces and a US-registered vessel exchanged fire at sea, resulting in casualties.
Cuban coast guard forces engaged in a shootout with a Florida-registered speedboat, resulting in four deaths and six injuries.
The Cuban Ministry of Interior stated that the shootout occurred when their patrol boat approached the speedboat to identify those on board. However, Cuban authorities claim that the speedboat opened fire first.
The Cuban embassy in the United States stated via social media that the Florida-registered speedboat, FL7726SH, was detected in Cuban waters on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The vessel was reportedly located approximately one nautical mile from the El Pino canal in Cayo Falcones.
As Cuban border patrol forces approached to request identification, the crew of the speedboat allegedly opened fire on the Cuban personnel. The commander of the Cuban Ministry of Interior’s vessel was reportedly injured in the shooting.
Cuban forces returned fire, killing four people on board the US-registered vessel and injuring six others.
The injured were evacuated and received medical treatment. As of this report, Cuban authorities have not released the identities or nationalities of the victims, nor have they provided further details about the location of the incident other than it occurred in Cuban waters.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban embassy in the US stated.
US Senator Marco Rubio stated that he had been briefed on the incident involving Cuban forces. Washington is now gathering information independently to determine whether the victims were US citizens or legal permanent residents.
“We have various different elements of the US government that are trying to identify the elements of the story that may not have been provided to us at this time,” Rubio told reporters at Basseterre Airport, St. Kitts, as reported by Newsweek.
He stated that he did not want to speculate on what actually happened. According to him, the incident could involve “various things,” and the United States will not rely solely on information provided by Cuban authorities.
“Most of the facts that have been reported publicly have come from information provided by the Cuban side. We will verify it independently as we gather more information, and we will be prepared to respond accordingly,” Rubio said.
“We will have our own information about this. We will find out exactly what happened.”
Rubio also stated that he was aware of the shooting even before the Cuban government posted about it on social media. He added that the US and Cuba maintain “constant contact” at the coast guard level.
“In short, it is very unusual to see a shootout at sea like that. It is not something that happens every day,” he said.
US Vice President JD Vance stated that he had received a briefing from Rubio and that the White House is monitoring the situation. However, he declined to provide further details.
“Hopefully, it is not as bad as we fear,” he said.
The incident occurred amid strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana. US President Donald Trump has on several occasions expressed his desire to see a change in leadership in Cuba, while also opening the possibility of a deal with Havana regarding oil imports.
For decades, the US has been vocal in its opposition to the Cuban government, although diplomatic relations briefly improved during the presidency of Barack Obama with the reopening of embassies in both countries.