Cuban officials stated that ten Cuban nationals aboard the intercepted Florida-registered speedboat FL7726SH carried explosives and intended to carry out an infiltration for terrorist purposes, according to NBC News reporting an interview between 2:16 AM and 4:46 AM UTC on February 26, 2026. The vessel was intercepted 1 nautical mile northeast of El Pino channel in Cayo Falcones territorial waters near Corralillo on February 25. This development follows U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's questioning of Cuba's initial account of the February 25 shooting incident, where Cuban forces reported killing four and wounding six after the boat allegedly fired first, as noted in prior U.S. media reports. NBC News cited Cuban officials confirming the explosives and terrorist intent during the current two-hour-30-minute reporting window. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement previously confirmed between 11:46 PM UTC February 25 and 1:46 AM UTC February 26 that the boat's Miami owner reported it stolen, according to Fox News' Danamarie McNicholl and NewsNation's Libbey Dean citing FDLE sources. Rubio promised a thorough U.S. investigation, building on his February 25 statements that the vessel carried no U.S. government personnel.
