Overview
- Authorities in Havana say a Florida-registered speedboat with 10 people opened fire near Cayo Falcones, prompting return fire that killed four and wounded six.
- U.S. officials dispute Cuba’s account and characterize the vessel as civilian, with federal and Florida investigations under way to verify the circumstances.
- Cuba claims weapons and explosive devices were seized and has named several detainees and one victim, Michel Ortega Casanova, though it corrected one misidentification after media checks.
- The FBI visited a Miami Lakes property linked to the boat’s owner as Florida’s attorney general opened a probe in coordination with federal partners.
- Russia publicly backed Cuba’s actions while U.S. leaders, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, called for facts and access as tensions rise.