Cuba’s government said Wednesday that its soldiers shot and killed four people aboard a speed boat registered in Florida after the vessel allegedly opened fire on officers in Cuban waters, reported the Associated Press.
According to a statement from Cuba’s Interior Ministry, the incident occurred approximately one mile northeast of Cayo Falcones, off the northern coast of Cuba. The ministry provided limited details regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Officials said one Cuban officer was injured in the exchange. Four suspects aboard the vessel were killed and six others were injured, the statement said.
It remains unclear whether any US citizens were on board the boat at the time of the incident.
Cuban authorities released the vessel’s registration number. However, AP reported that it was unable to independently verify details about the boat, noting that boat registration records are not publicly accessible in Florida.
Authorities did not immediately clarify what the boat and its occupants were doing in Cuban territorial waters.
Officials from the US Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.