Cuba’s Interior Ministry has released new details of the investigation into a deadly armed clash with a US-flagged speedboat, saying the vessel was carrying 10 armed men and intended to carry out infiltration and terrorist operations on Cuban soil.
According to reports, the clash occurred on Wednesday off the northern coast of Villa Clara province when Cuban border guards approached the Florida-registered vessel (FL7726) to check its identity.
Cuban officials said the people on the ship first opened fire on border guards, wounding the commander of one of the Cuban surveillance ships. Cuban forces retaliated, killing four and wounding six others.
A search of the ship uncovered offensive weapons, a cache of improvised explosive devices such as Molotov cocktails, and camouflage clothing, which the Cuban Interior Ministry said were consistent with terrorist objectives.
One of the deceased has been identified as “Michelle Ortega Casanova” and efforts are ongoing to identify the other three deceased.
The Trump administration has denied any connection to the incident.
