Lakeland man among four killed in deadly Cuba speedboat shootout

In the aftermath of the deadly boat shooting off the coast of Cuba, new information is emerging about those on the Florida-registered speedboat. 

Cuban officials say there were 10 people aboard the speedboat when it entered Cuban waters near Falcones Cay on Wednesday, just over 100 miles south of Florida. A passenger on the speedboat allegedly shot at the Cuban vessel, per Cuban authorities, wounding its commander and prompting Cuban forces to return fire. Four people in the speedboat died, and the six others were injured. 

The surviving passengers are now in custody, Cuban officials said.

Michel Ortega Casanova of Lakeland was among the four people killed, according to Cuban officials and family members.

The media visited his Lakeland home Thursday to speak with family members, who said they were not comfortable speaking on camera, but described his death as a total surprise. They also told us that the authorities have not yet contacted them.

However, Casanova’s brother told the Associated Press he was less surprised, saying his brother had become obsessed with Cuba’s freedom.

Casanova is one of seven passengers publicly identified so far. Cuban officials say the others were Cuban nationals living in the United States.

The media has also learned that at least two other people believed to have been on the boat may have ties to the Tampa Bay area. However, those connections have not yet been independently confirmed.

Cuba’s government claims those aboard the boat were armed and attempting to infiltrate the country for what it described as “terrorist purposes.” U.S. officials have not confirmed those allegations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the vessel was not part of any U.S. government operation. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Embassy in Havana, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard, are investigating.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Cuba following the ousting of Venezuelan leader and Cuban ally Nicolas Maduro in January. In the aftermath, the Trump administration blocked all oil deliveries to Cuba, leading to an economic crisis.