Cuban authorities have identified one of the four people killed in the maritime clash as Michel Ortega Casanova, a U.S. citizen who lived in the United States for more than 20 years.
His brother, Misael Ortega Casanova, said Michel worked as a truck driver and left behind a wife, a pregnant daughter, their mother, and two sisters, one still in Cuba.
“Only us Cubans who have lived over there understand,” Misael said in an interview with the Associated Press.
He characterized Michel’s pursuit of Cuba’s freedom as “obsessive and diabolical” and said Michel had not informed family members of his plans beforehand.
Misael added that their mother is “devastated” and expressed hope the loss might prompt change.
The announcement marks the first verified confirmation of a U.S. citizen among the fatalities in the Wednesday afternoon incident.
Cuban officials say the confrontation began when a speedboat registered in Florida bearing number FL7726SH entered Cuban territorial waters about one nautical mile northeast of the El Pino channel in Corralillo, Villa Clara province near Cayo Falcones.
Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior said a five-member border guard unit approached the vessel for identification.
The ministry claims that those aboard the speedboat opened fire, wounding the Cuban vessel’s commander.
Cuban forces then returned fire, which officials say resulted in four deaths and six injuries among the ten people on the speedboat.
The injured were evacuated, given medical care, and are currently in custody, the statement said.
Cuban authorities asserted that all ten people aboard were Cuban nationals residing in the United States and alleged the group was armed and intended to carry out an infiltration operation for terrorist purposes.
Items reported seized from the vessel included assault rifles, handguns, Molotov cocktails, bulletproof vests, telescopic sights, and camouflage uniforms.
In addition to arrests on the boat, Cuban officials said they detained another individual on the island named Duniel Hernández Santos, who they claim was sent from the United States to assist and has confessed.
Cuban media have named the six survivors as Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Azcorra Consuegra.
Authorities say Sánchez González and Cruz Gómez are subjects of ongoing criminal investigations in Cuba related to promoting, planning, or supporting terrorism, and the identities of the other three deceased have not been released as investigations continue.
U.S. officials have pledged a thorough investigation and independent verification of the facts surrounding the incident.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the event as “highly unusual” and said it was not a U.S. government operation, with no American personnel involved.
Rubio stated the United States is gathering its own information, including through the embassy in Havana, to determine whether any of the individuals were U.S. citizens or permanent residents and to clarify the circumstances.
“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,” he told reporters from St. Kitts on Wednesday evening.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office’s Statewide Prosecution unit is coordinating with federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate the matter.
“The Cuban government cannot be trusted, and we will do everything in our power to hold these communists accountable,” he said.
