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An armed confrontation in the waters of Cuba, reported this Wednesday by the Ministry of Interior (MININT), has put the island's population and Cubans abroad on high alert.
In this article, we detail everything that is known so far about the case of the Florida boat FL7726SH. The incident took place on February 25, 2026, off the coast of Villa Clara, where four people died following an exchange of gunfire with Border Guard Troops.
This incident occurred one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel, in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality. Since then, there have been government investigations open in Cuba and the United States.
The accounts of what happened show significant differences, and there is still no comprehensive independent verification.
What happened in the waters of Villa Clara?
The official version from MININT details that a fast boat with the registration Florida FL7726SH was detected within Cuban territorial waters in the morning hours. A surface unit with five border guards approached to identify it.
According to the official statement, fire was opened from the vessel against the Cuban forces. The commander of the Cuban ship was injured.
An armed confrontation occurred between the two vessels. The preliminary report indicated four fatalities and six injuries among the occupants of the boat registered in the United States.
The vessel was carrying 10 armed individuals who, according to the regime, intended to carry out an "infiltration for terrorist purposes."
Authorities reported the seizure of assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms.
The Cuban government identified the following individuals involved, but there are three deceased whose identities have not yet been confirmed:
- Amijail Sánchez González
- Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez
- Conrado Galindo Sariol
- José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló
- Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara
- Roberto Azcorra Consuegra
- Michel Ortega Casanova (confirmed deceased)
It also reported on the detention within national territory of Duniel Hernández Santos, identified as a suspected collaborator responsible for receiving the infiltration.
The MININT pointed out that Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez and Amijail Sánchez González, known as “El Lobo,” are on the National Terrorist List for alleged "involvement in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support, or commission of actions carried out in the national territory or in other countries, related to acts of terrorism."
The vessel, the alleged theft, and the contradictory accounts
The specialized site The Maritime Executive noted that records in the United States indicate that the vessel registered as FL7726SH is a Pro-Line built in 1981, with hull number 00916.
However, the activist Eliecer Ávila stated that it would be a Carolina Skiff for private use belonging to the family of a businessman in Miami. The boat is believed to have been stolen by an employee.
The owner claimed to have no knowledge of the trip. So far, it has not been confirmed whether the employee is among the deceased or the detained.
Telemundo 51 reported that agents from the FBI visited a residence in Miami Lakes linked to the vessel in the records. No details have been released regarding interviews, seizures, or arrests.
The New York Times quoted a U.S. official who stated that the vessel was part of a private flotilla organized to evacuate families from Cuba. There have also been reports about a possible second boat.
The various versions have not been independently verified in their entirety.
Open Research in Cuba and the United States
The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, described the incident as "very unusual" and stated that Washington will independently verify what happened. He noted that the initial reports are incomplete.
The Vice President JD Vance stated that the U.S. government is monitoring the situation, but it does not yet have enough information.
Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar and Congressman Carlos A. Giménez called for clarifying what happened and determining if there were U.S. citizens or legal residents among the victims. Authorities in Miami-Dade County requested transparency from the Cuban government.
The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel has not publicly commented on this controversial case. The Cuban Foreign Minister stated this Thursday: "The defense of the Cuban coasts, of the national territory, and of national security is an unavoidable duty."
Persistent key questions: who fired first, what was the group's real objective, if the boat was stolen, whether there was a second boat, and what the full identities of the deceased are. The investigations continue in Cuba and the United States.
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