Cuban Border Guards Shot The Crew Of An American Boat: New Details
- 26.02.2026, 10:31
A statement was issued by the Cuban Interior Ministry.
A serious incident involving the use of weapons occurred in Cuban territorial waters, where Cuban border guards engaged in a fight with the crew of a U.S.-flagged boat, writes The Moscow Times.
According to the Cuban Embassy in the United States, the vessel approached the island at a dangerously close distance - about one nautical mile off the coast near Cayo Falconez.
According to the Cuban diplomatic mission, the Florida-registered boat was moving toward the island territory, after which it was approached by a border patrol.
The situation sharply escalated at the moment of approach: according to the Cuban side, it was the U.S. boat that first opened fire.
The commander of the Cuban patrol boat was wounded in the firefight, but the border guards also used weapons in response.
According to Cuban authorities, four people on board the U.S. boat were killed. Another six were injured of varying degrees of severity.
The injured were evacuated to the territory of Cuba, where they received medical treatment. The condition of the injured was not officially reported.
The Cuban Interior Ministry later clarified that the boat was registered in Florida. The entire crew of the vessel consisted of natives of the Latin American country living in the United States. Some of them allegedly "have criminal records." The Cuban authorities were looking for these people for involvement in organizing, financing or committing acts of a terrorist nature within or outside the country. At the moment, six survivors and one dead person have been identified, and three others are being investigated. Assault rifles, short-barreled weapons, improvised explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), body armor, telescopic sights and camouflage uniforms were found on the boat. Cuba also detained citizen Duniel Hernandez Santos, who was sent from the U.S. to receive the armed group. Security officials are continuing to investigate.
The incident comes amid strained relations between Cuba and the U.S., which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, causing a fuel crisis there. According to The New York Times, the boat that entered the waters did not belong to the Coast Guard or the U.S. Navy. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance expressed hope that the shooting situation off Cuba would not lead to serious consequences. State Department chief Marco Rubio, for his part, said Washington is investigating the shooting but is still relying on the Cuban government's data. At the same time, he emphasized that the incident is not an operation of the U.S. authorities.