A U.S. official confirmed to The New York Times between 9:16 PM and 10:16 PM UTC on February 25, 2026, that the Florida-registered speedboat FL7726SH attacked by Cuban forces near Corralillo was a civilian vessel attempting to pick up relatives in Cuba, not affiliated with the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard, prompting U.S. and Florida authorities to launch investigations into the clash that killed four and wounded six. U.S. and Florida state authorities initiated probes during this one-hour period to clarify the confrontation's circumstances and victims' identities, as political pressure mounts in Washington for explanations from Cuba on its lethal force against the civilian boat linked to U.S. citizens or residents, according to MagJorgeCastro's X post citing the New York Times update. This develops prior U.S. official confirmation to The New York Times between 8:46 PM and 9:16 PM UTC that the speedboat was part of a civilian exile flotilla extracting family from Cuba 1 nautical mile northeast of El Pino channel in Cayo Falcones territorial waters, countering Cuban Ministry of the Interior claims that the crew fired first and injured their commander. Florida Attorney General directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution between 8:46 PM and 9:16 PM UTC to investigate with federal and state partners, stating the Cuban government cannot be trusted. Cuban officials, via @EmbaCubaUS, maintain Border Guard Troops approached for identification when fired upon, providing medical aid afterward.
