US State Department probes boat seizure in Cuban waters

The United States is reviewing the circumstances surrounding an incident in international waters off the coast of Cuba reported by local authorities, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard are already involved in clarifying the details. He noted that much of the publicly available information currently comes from Havana, but Washington intends to independently verify the facts.

According to the press service of the U.S. Department of State, Rubio made the remarks to journalists while on a diplomatic visit to Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The incident occurred on the morning of February 25 local time in Cuba’s territorial waters. A boat flying the American flag, bearing registration number FL7726SH and registered in Florida, reportedly approached to within one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel near Cayo Falcones, in the municipality of Corralillo, Villa Clara province. All detainees are Cuban nationals residing in the United States. Most reportedly have prior criminal convictions. During questioning, they allegedly admitted they planned to enter Cuban territory for terrorist purposes.

Cuba’s Interior Ministry stated that authorities seized assault rifles, handguns, improvised explosive devices (Molotov cocktails), body armour, optical sights and camouflage uniforms during the detention.

“We have our embassy on the ground in Havana working this as we speak, asking for access to the people that were on those vessels, if they were American citizens or permanent residents.  According to the Cuban regime, the boat was registered in Florida.  We’re tracking that down,” Rubio said.

He emphasised that initial reports of such incidents are often incomplete. According to Rubio, the United States was notified through existing communication channels between the two countries’ coast guard services. He stressed that Washington would not draw conclusions based solely on statements from Cuban authorities and would conduct an independent review before making any decisions.

The Secretary of State also confirmed that the incident was not an operation of the U.S. government. He added that gunfire on the high seas is extremely rare, particularly in the context of relations with Cuba, and that similar incidents have not occurred in a long time.

Responding to a question about Washington’s possible reaction if U.S. citizens were found among the injured, Rubio said it would be premature to discuss measures before a full understanding of the situation is established. The United States, he said, intends to gather comprehensive information and present its conclusions to the country’s leadership, including the president.

During the briefing, Rubio also addressed fuel shipments to Cuba. He noted that current legislation allows exports to the island’s private sector but not to state entities or companies linked to the military. He described the policy as aimed at expanding opportunities for Cuba’s limited private sector, adding that any abuse would result in the revocation of licenses.

The secretary again placed responsibility for Cuba’s difficult economic situation on the country’s authorities, citing systemic governance problems and an inefficient economic model. He said the United States is prepared to provide humanitarian support to the Cuban people, including through independent channels, but believes that sustainable change will require deep reforms.

Turning to international matters, Rubio confirmed that upcoming talks with Iran will focus primarily on its nuclear program. However, he stressed that Washington views Tehran’s missile development as a serious threat and believes that the issue must also be addressed. The United States, he said, continues to prefer diplomatic solutions but expects concrete steps from Iran.

By Tamilla Hasanova