Four Killed As Cuban Forces Clash With American Speedboat
By Mansour Al-Maswari
(Albawaba) -- Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior said border guard forces were involved in a deadly exchange of gunfire with a Florida-registered speedboat that allegedly entered the island’s territorial waters early Tuesday, leaving four people dead and six injured.
According to an official statement, coastal radar detected the vessel approaching within one nautical mile of the shore near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province. A Cuban patrol unit with five officers was dispatched to intercept and identify the boat.
Authorities said the occupants of the speedboat opened fire as the patrol approached, wounding the Cuban unit’s commander. Security forces returned fire, killing four people aboard the vessel and injuring six others. The injured were taken ashore and provided medical treatment, officials said.
Cuba’s government said an investigation is underway to determine the full circumstances of the incident and reaffirmed what it described as its right to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The confrontation comes at a time of heightened tensions between Havana and Washington. Cuban officials have accused the United States of escalating economic pressure, including tightening sanctions and restricting fuel shipments, measures that have worsened the island’s ongoing energy and economic crisis.
While there was no immediate response from U.S. authorities regarding the shooting, analysts said the episode could further strain already fragile relations between the two countries. Similar maritime incidents in the past, often linked to alleged smuggling or unauthorized crossings in the Florida Straits, have triggered diplomatic friction.
The latest clash adds to mounting regional tensions as both governments navigate a period of renewed hostility and limited diplomatic engagement.