Cuba's Coast Guard Kills Four in Shootout with US-Registered Speedboat

World News

Cuba's Coast Guard Kills Four in Shootout with US-Registered Speedboat

47 minutes ago

News sources:

BBC

ALJAZEERA

SCMP

INDIATIMES

CBSNEWS

REUTERS

Cuba's Coast Guard Kills Four in Shootout with US-Registered Speedboat

Credited from: CBSNEWS

Cuba's coast guard engaged a Florida-registered speedboat, resulting in four deaths.
The incident was described as a response to the speedboat firing on Cuban forces.
This confrontation occurs amid rising tensions between the US and Cuba.

On Wednesday, Cuba's Interior Ministry reported that four individuals aboard a Florida-registered speedboat were shot dead by the coast guard after the vessel allegedly opened fire on Cuban border patrol forces. The shootout took place one nautical mile northeast of Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province, as Cuban forces attempted to identify the boat, which opened fire first, injuring a Cuban commander, according to BBC and Al Jazeera.

The Cuban Interior Ministry has emphasized its right to protect territorial waters, stating, "national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty." During the confrontation, in addition to the four fatalities, six individuals were wounded, and all injured were given medical assistance, as reported by SCMP and India Times.

The incident is particularly contentious given the strained relations between the US and Cuba, with notable restrictions on oil shipments to Cuba that have escalated tensions recently. The US has previously imposed an effective oil blockade, which has been a significant challenge for the Cuban government, as noted by CBS News and Reuters.