Cuban and US authorities are both investigating after the fatal shooting in Cuban waters.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pledged to find out "exactly what happened" after Cuban forces killed four people aboard a Florida-registered boat.
Four people in a speedboat with a Florida license plate were killed by Cuban forces on Wednesday morning, Cuba's interior ministry said.
Six other people aboard the vessel were injured and are receiving medical attention.
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Cuban border guard troops approached the boat to identify it after it entered Cuban territorial waters in Falcones Cay, Villa Clara Province, the ministry said.
The Cuban forces were then shot at by someone from the boat, injuring the commander of the Cuban boat, the statement said. The border guards then returned fire.
The nationalities of those aboard the speedboat are unknown.
Falcones Cay is just over 160km from Florida.
The boat, with registration number FL7726SH, is a 24-foot (7.3m) power boat that was manufactured in 1981, according to maritime database records.
"In light of the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its willingness to protect its territorial waters, based on the fact that national defence is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in favour of protecting its sovereignty and stability in the region," the Cuban interior ministry said.
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Rubio said the US embassy in Havana was working to get access to other people who were aboard the vessel to determine whether they are American citizens or permanent residents.
"As we gather more information, we will be prepared to respond accordingly," Rubio said.
"We're going to figure out exactly what happened."
Asked if it was possible the boat had been assisting in an escape attempt from Cuba, Rubio said it would be "irresponsible" to speculate but confirmed such an act would violate federal US law.
US Vice President JD Vance said the White House was "monitoring" the situation but details are still scarce.
"(It is) certainly, you know, a situation that we're monitoring, hopefully it's not as bad we fear it could be. But (I) can't say more, because I just don't know more," Vance said during an unrelated event at the White House.
Local officials demand action
Florida Republican Congressman Carlos A Gimenez said the incident raised concerns about the use of lethal force against people aboard a US-registered vessel and called for an investigation.
"United States authorities must determine whether any of the victims were US citizens or legal residents and establish exactly what occurred," he said in a statement posted to X.
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https://x.com/RepCarlos/status/2026750391145181459"The regime in Cuba must be relegated to the dustbin of history for its countless crimes against humanity."
Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott also called for a full investigation into what he dubbed a "deeply concerning" situation.
"The Communist Cuban regime must be held accountable," he said.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed he had ordered an investigation into the incident.
"The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable," he said.
https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2026750551338205242The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Cuba as Washington has blocked virtually all oil shipments from reaching the communist-run island.
Trump recently predicted the Cuban government would fall, with concerns its people will soon run out of fuel after the US kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The subsequent oil shortage has brought Cuba's economy to its knees, with the Caribbean nation experiencing its worst era of economic uncertainty in decades.
– with CNN.
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