Cuba’s Interior Ministry reports its border guards opened fire on a Florida-registered speedboat (FL7726SH) that entered territorial waters near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province on the morning of February 25, 2026.

According to Havana’s official account, when Cuban patrol vessels approached to identify the vessel, the speedboat’s crew fired first—wounding the Cuban commander. Border troops returned fire in what they call self-defense.

Result: Four people on the US-registered boat killed, six wounded (injured passengers evacuated for medical treatment). Cuba labels the deceased “aggressors” and vows to protect its sovereignty amid ongoing investigations.

The incident—sparking outrage on X with calls for retaliation—comes against decades of US-Cuba tensions, heightened migration flows, and recent maritime friction. No immediate US official response confirmed, but the Florida connection and armed clash raise the stakes dramatically.