A tragic incident unfolded in Cuban waters when a stolen speedboat, with U.S. citizens on board, was involved in a deadly confrontation with Cuba’s coast guard. Four people were killed, and several others were wounded and arrested after the boat allegedly opened fire on the Cuban military.
Stolen Boat and Deadly Clash
The speedboat, reportedly stolen from Florida, entered Cuban waters on Wednesday, February 19, 2026. According to Cuba’s Interior Ministry, the boat’s occupants opened fire on the Cuban Border Guard Troops who attempted to intercept the vessel. In the resulting exchange, four people aboard the boat were killed, and six others were wounded and arrested.
The Boat’s Occupants and Alleged Terrorist Links
The identities of those involved have raised suspicions of ties to terrorism. Cuba’s government stated that the occupants of the boat were armed with assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms. They were allegedly attempting to carry out an infiltration for “terrorist purposes.”
Two of the boat’s occupants, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, were reportedly wanted by Cuba for their involvement in acts of terrorism, according to Cuba’s embassy. These individuals were listed by Cuban authorities and provided to U.S. authorities in 2023 and 2025.
U.S. Citizens Among the Victims
At least one American citizen was confirmed to have been killed in the attack, and at least one other U.S. citizen was arrested. A U.S. official confirmed that one individual aboard the boat had a K-1 visa, which allows a fiancé of a U.S. citizen to travel for marriage, while others are believed to be legal permanent residents of the U.S.
The victims killed in the clash were identified as Pavel Alling Peña, Michael Ortega Casanova, Ledián Padrón Guevara, and Hector Duani Cruz Correa. The six wounded and arrested individuals were named as Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Amijail Sánchez González, and Roberto Álvarez Ávila.
Boat’s Stolen Ownership and the Investigation
The stolen boat was a 24-foot 1981 Pro-Line, registered in Florida, and allegedly taken from a property in Big Pine Key, Florida. The owner, Angel Walter Montera, reported the vessel missing, suspecting that a former employee, Hector Duardy Cruz Correa, may have stolen it.
Cuba’s Interior Ministry stated that the boat was one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino Canal in Cayo Falcones when the Border Guard Troops attempted to approach it for identification. During the attempted identification, the occupants of the boat allegedly began shooting, wounding a Cuban officer, which escalated the situation into a deadly confrontation.
U.S. Response and Investigation
The White House and U.S. government officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have confirmed that investigations are underway into the incident. U.S. authorities, including the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security, are working to uncover the details of what transpired.
Cuba has stated its willingness to cooperate with the U.S. in clarifying the events and exchanging information through existing diplomatic channels.
Tensions Between the U.S. and Cuba
This incident occurs amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Cuba, especially following recent sanctions and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. These developments have further strained the relationship between the two nations, which has been characterized by conflict and diplomatic challenges for decades.
