What really happened during the deadly shootout off Cuba’s coast?

Officials said the people on the boat shot first and injured the captain of the Cuban vessel. The coastguard returned fire, killing four people and arresting the remaining six.

The Cuban government said all 10 people on the boat were Cuban nationals who live in the United States. One of the men killed was identified as Michel Ortega Casanova. Authorities also detained an 11th man on land, who they claim was part of the group. Cuba said the group was planning "an infiltration with terrorist aims".

Officials reported that several weapons and tactical items were found on the boat. These included assault rifles, handguns, homemade bombs, and Molotov cocktails. Bulletproof vests and camouflage uniforms were also recovered. Cuban authorities added that most of the men have "prior records involving criminal and violent activity".

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the incident as "highly unusual". He told reporters that it "was not a US operation" and said no US government personnel were involved. Rubio stated that the US would not rely solely on Cuba’s account and would instead "verify that independently".

“As we gather more information, then we'll be prepared to respond accordingly,” he said.

Rubio, whose parents emigrated to the United States from Cuba in the 1950s, has long criticised the Communist-run government in Havana. On Wednesday, he said that "Cuba's status quo is unacceptable" and "needs to change".

"They need to make dramatic reforms," he said, urging its Communist leadership to "open the space for both economic and eventually political freedom for the people of Cuba".

The shootout happened at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries. The United States has been blocking oil shipments to Cuba, contributing to a severe energy crisis on the island. Shortly before the shooting, however, the US government announced it would allow some oil sales for "commercial and humanitarian use".