Tragic Encounter: Cuban Border Patrol Stops Florida-Registered Boat, Leaving 4 Dead and 6 Injured

MIAMI – According to reports from Local 10 News, an incident in Cuban waters involving a speedboat registered in Florida has resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to six others.

U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez has taken to social media platform X to label the incident as an “attack” and a “massacre.” He is calling for a swift investigation into the events that transpired.

“I urge an immediate inquiry into this tragic massacre,” stated Gimenez. “It is crucial for U.S. authorities to ascertain whether any of the casualties were American citizens or legal residents.”

Cuban officials have reported that during the confrontation, the commander of a Cuban vessel sustained injuries. The vessel had intercepted the speedboat, which bore the registration number FL7726SH.

The incident occurred northeast of the El Pino channel in Cayo Falcones, where the speedboat’s crew allegedly “opened fire” on a group of five Cuban Border Guard Troops from the Ministry of the Interior.

While northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, the crew of the speedboat “opened fire” on five service members of the Cuban Border Guard Troops of the Ministry of the Interior, according to Cuban officials.

“The injured individuals were evacuated and received medical assistance,” the Cuban official wrote on X. “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.”

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced he had directed prosecutors to work with federal and state law enforcement to investigate the incident.

“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” Uthmeier wrote on X.

On Tuesday, mourners met in Miami-Dade County to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of four Brothers to the Rescue volunteers when the Cuban Air Force shotdown two Cessnas on Feb. 24, 1996.

Two survivors, José Basulto, a pilot and founder of Brothers to the Rescue, and Sylvia G. Iriondo, a volunteer, have been demanding that Raúl Castro be indicted for his role in the deaths of Carlos Alejandre, 45; Armando Costa, 29; Mario De la Peña, 24; and Pablo Morales, 29.