[ad_1]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is working to gather information on those who were injured and killed on the boat.
CORRALILLO, Cuba — Four people were killed, and six others were hurt on board a boat registered in Florida after its crew shot at guards on the Cuban border, according to the Cuban government.
It reportedly happened on Wednesday morning within Cuban territorial waters near the Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province, of the Cayo Falcones island.
It was unclear whether any U.S. citizens were aboard.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters late Wednesday that he was made aware of the incident and that the U.S. is gathering its own information to determine whether the victims were American citizens or permanent residents.
“We have various different elements of the U.S. government that are trying to identify elements of the story that may not be provided to us now,” Rubio said.
Trump’s top diplomat refused to speculate on what happened, saying that its could be a “wide range of things,” and that the United States will not solely rely on what the Cuban authorities have provided thus far.
The Cuban government said that when five Cuban border guards approached the boat for identification, the crew opened fire, injuring the commander of the Cuban vessel.
In response, Cuban guards killed four people and injured six others on board the boat, the Cuban government said. The injured people were reportedly evacuated and provided medical assistance.
“In the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar of the Cuban State in safeguarding its sovereignty and ensuring stability in the region,” the Cuban Embassy to the U.S. wrote in a post.
An investigation by Cuban authorities is ongoing.
The Cuban government provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press was unable to verify details of the boat because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.
Officials with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Pentagon declined comment and directed questions to the U.S. Department of State, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, said he has ordered prosecutors to work with federal, state and law enforcement partners to start an investigation.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he wrote on X.
Skirmishes between Cuba’s Coast Guard and U.S.-flagged speedboats are not unusual in Cuban waters. There have been no recent reports of passengers opening fire or being killed.
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
[ad_2]