Cuban Coast Guard Kills Four on US-Registered Speedboat
Four people aboard a US-registered speedboat were shot and killed by Cuban authorities on February 25, 2026, after an encounter with the Cuban Coast Guard near Villa Clara province. Six others were injured in the incident, according to statements from the Cuban Ministry of the Interior and reports from US news outlets.
Confrontation and Casualties
Cuban officials stated that the speedboat was detected within Cuban territorial waters, approximately one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province. The vessel, registered in Florida under registration number FL7726SH, was approached by a surface unit of the Border Guard Troops consisting of five service members for identification.
According to the Cuban Ministry of the Interior, the crew of the speedboat opened fire on the Cuban personnel, injuring the commander of the Cuban vessel. In response, Cuban authorities fired back, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to six others on the speedboat. The injured were evacuated and received medical assistance. Times Now and BBC News reported on these details.
Investigation and International Law
Cuban authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding the confrontation. The incident occurs amid increased tensions between the United States and Cuba.
Geir Ulfstein, a professor of international law at the University of Oslo, explained that even as opening fire is not considered an act of self-defense under international law, Cuba has the right to enforce its regulations within its territorial waters, granting them police authority. BBC News reported on this legal perspective. According to the Convention on the Law of the Sea, a state has full jurisdiction within its territorial waters, defined as the first 12 nautical miles from its coastline.
US Response and Concerns
The US State Department and White House have been contacted for comment. Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez, a Cuban-American former mayor of Miami, has called for an urgent investigation, describing the incident as a “massacre” and demanding confirmation of the victims’ citizenship status. BBC News detailed Gimenez’s reaction.
A US official quoted by The Fresh York Times indicated that the shootout involved a US civilian boat that was part of a flotilla attempting to transport relatives out of Cuba, and was not a US Navy or Coast Guard vessel.
Background: US-Cuba Relations
The incident takes place during a period of strained relations between the US and Cuba. Previous US policies, such as punitive tariffs imposed during the Trump administration on countries trading oil with Cuba, have contributed to an economic crisis in Cuba, including oil shortages, power outages, and restrictions on essential resources.