A 24-foot boat involved in a deadly confrontation with the Cuban Coast Guard was stolen from the Florida Keys and carried U.S. Citizens, according to Axios. Four people died and six were injured in the Wednesday incident, which occurs amid heightened tensions between the U.S. And Cuba stemming from the Trump administration’s policies toward Havana.
Investigation Underway
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. Is investigating the incident and has requested access to the six wounded individuals currently in Cuba, Axios reported.
Cuban authorities claim the boat’s occupants opened fire on the Coast Guard as they approached the island, prompting a response. According to Axios, the boat’s owner in Florida reported the vessel stolen by an employee. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Florida confirmed to Axios that It’s investigating the theft.
The boat’s owner reported the theft in Big Pine Key on Wednesday night after receiving calls from journalists, according to a sheriff’s office report. The owner told investigators he suspected the employee helping with a renovation project had taken the boat and left his truck nearby. The owner also stated the employee “has family in Cuba, including two young daughters still there.”
Some of those on board had criminal histories, Axios reports and at least one of the deceased was a U.S. Citizen. Another U.S. Citizen is among the injured and is receiving medical care in Cuba.
At least one person on board had a valid U.S. K-1 visa, a non-immigrant visa for those intending to marry a U.S. Citizen, Axios sources said. The remaining individuals on board were legal permanent residents of the United States.
According to AP, one of the four fatalities was Michel Ortega Casanova, a man whose brother in Miami described him as having a “diabolical” obsession with the political situation in Cuba. Misael Ortega Casanova stated his brother Michel had U.S. Citizenship and had lived in the U.S. For over twenty years. “They became so obsessed that they didn’t think about the consequences or their own lives,” Misael said of his brother.
Misael Ortega Casanova also stated he did not recognize any of the names released by the Cuban government in connection with the boat incursion and that the shooting came as a surprise to his family: “Nobody knew, my mother is devastated.”
Cuban authorities claim Michel Ortega Casanova was accompanied on the boat by two men wanted for “participation in the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission” of acts of terrorism: Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on Wednesday?
A boat traveling towards Cuba was intercepted by the Cuban Coast Guard, resulting in a confrontation that left four people dead and six injured.
Were U.S. Citizens involved?
Yes, the boat carried U.S. Citizens, and at least one of the deceased and one of the injured were confirmed to be American.
What is the Cuban government saying about the incident?
Cuban authorities state the boat’s occupants opened fire on the Coast Guard, prompting a response, and that some of those on board are wanted in connection with acts of terrorism.
As investigations continue on both sides of the issue, what impact will this incident have on U.S.-Cuba relations?
