Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the United States will have an “appropriate” response following a serious shooting off the coast of Cuba. The incident occurred when Cuban border guards clashed with a Florida-registered speedboat, resulting in four deaths and six injuries.
Speaking during a trip to Saint Kitts and Nevis on February 26, Rubio emphasized that Washington would gather its own information independently to clarify the events. He asserted that the United States would not rely solely on unilateral statements from the Havana government and described the situation as “very rare” for international waters.
Conflicting Reports on the Cause of the Incident
According to a statement from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, its border guards were forced to open fire after the crew on the speedboat “fired first,” injuring a Cuban vessel commander. Cuba stated that four people on the foreign vessel died and six others were injured and are currently receiving emergency care at local medical facilities.
However, an official told The New York Times that the civilian vessel was actually on a mission to pick up family members from Cuba. Secretary Rubio also confirmed that it was a civilian boat, not part of the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard, and was absolutely not part of any U.S. government operation.
Vice President JD Vance stated that the Trump administration is actively gathering more data to gain the most accurate view of the actual events. Maritime records reveal the vessel bears registration number FL7726SH, is 24 feet long, and was manufactured in 1981, though the identities of the owner and the nationalities of those on board have not yet been released.
This tragic incident takes place against the backdrop of continued diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. At present, the U.S. government has not announced specific next steps while awaiting the results of a comprehensive investigation into the shooting.
