Cuban border guards killed four people aboard a Florida-registered speedboat Wednesday morning after the vessel entered the island's territorial waters and opened fire on troops, Cuba's Interior Ministry said.

The confrontation occurred roughly one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel near Cayo Falcones in Villa Clara province, about 100 miles from Florida's coast. The speedboat, a 24-foot 1981 Pro-Line model with registration FL7726SH for commercial use, carried around 10 people. Five Cuban guards approached for identification when someone on board shot and wounded the Cuban vessel's commander, prompting return fire that left four dead and six injured on the speedboat, officials stated. The wounded received medical attention, and Cuba said one of its officers was hurt.

Cuba's Interior Ministry described the occupants as "foreign attackers" and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting sovereignty amid regional challenges. Authorities are investigating the incident, but details on the boat's purpose remain unclear. Initial U.S. reports suggested it might have been part of a flotilla to evacuate relatives, though officials confirmed it was a single civilian vessel, not connected to U.S. government operations.

No identities have been released for those killed or injured, and it is unknown if any were U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The U.S. Embassy in Havana had no immediate comment, while Vice President JD Vance said the White House was monitoring the situation after a briefing from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was visiting Saint Kitts and Nevis. "Hopefully it's not as bad as we fear it could be," Vance said, adding that limited details were available.

Florida officials reacted swiftly. Attorney General James Uthmeier directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to probe the matter with federal and state partners, declaring, "The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable." Republican Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, whose district includes South Florida, demanded a full investigation into the use of lethal force against a U.S.-flagged vessel and whether the victims included Americans. "This regime must be relegated to the dustbin of history," he said. Sen. Rick Scott called it "deeply concerning" and urged accountability for the Cuban government. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar said she was following developments closely.

The clash heightens already tense U.S.-Cuba relations, strained by Washington's blockade on oil shipments to the island, which has deepened Cuba's economic woes and power shortages. Canada and Mexico recently sent humanitarian aid amid the crisis. The incident evokes memories of past confrontations, such as the 1996 Cuban shootdown of civilian planes from Florida, which killed four.