A third person had a so-called K-1 visa, which is for people who want to marry a US citizen, and others "may have had" permanent residency in the US.
According to the Cuban government, the American motorboat that was confronted by the Coast Guard on Wednesday was manned by Cubans living in the United States. The purpose, according to Cuba, was to infiltrate the homeland.
Four people were killed and at least six injured on the boat when gunfire erupted, according to Cuba's Interior Ministry. The ministry said the Florida-registered motorboat was in Cuban waters. When a Coast Guard patrol approached, the people on the U.S. boat began shooting, prompting the Coast Guard to return fire.
Weapons found on board
According to a statement from the Cuban government on Thursday, the ten people on board had terrorist motives. Most of them were known for "criminal and violent activities" in the past. Authorities have reportedly found firearms and firebombs on board the boat.
In addition to the survivors, Cuban police have also arrested another man who is suspected of having been sent in advance from the United States to receive the "infiltrators" on the boat.
US Senator Marco Rubio said the motorboat was not part of an American operation and that no government employees were on board.
"Once we have gathered more information, we will be prepared to act appropriately," Rubio told reporters on Thursday night, local time in Sweden.
Increased tensions
It is not uncommon for Cuban authorities to encounter American boats in Cuban waters, but it is rarer for such encounters to turn violent. Most often, the incidents are linked to drug smuggling or human trafficking.
The firefight occurred amid heightened tensions between the United States and the communist-ruled island nation.
