On Tuesday, individuals aboard two alleged drug smuggling boats abandoned their vessels and jumped into the water following an initial military strike on another boat in the Pacific Ocean, as reported by the U.S. military. The U.S. Southern Command announced on Wednesday that three narco-trafficking vessels were engaged and struck while traveling in a convoy in international waters a day prior.
The military strike resulted in the tragic loss of three individuals when the first boat was hit. Remaining crew members, described as narco-terrorists, chose to escape by abandoning the other two vessels. They jumped overboard to distance themselves from the scene before follow-up engagements led to the sinking of their boats, according to Southern Command. The U.S. Coast Guard was notified and is actively coordinating search-and-rescue operations in the area.
In a separate statement, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed their involvement on Tuesday, reporting an alert regarding mariners in distress in the Pacific Ocean. They have initiated search-and-rescue efforts with nearby vessels and dispatched a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft to enhance search capabilities. This aircraft is equipped to drop survival rafts and essential supplies to those in need.
According to three U.S. officials speaking to CBS News, as many as eight individuals abandoned the remaining two vessels during the incident. The strikes, confirmed to have occurred in the eastern Pacific Ocean, were captured in a 46-second video, which did not show any visible survivors in the water following the strikes.
On Wednesday, the U.S. military conducted additional strikes on two more vessels, resulting in the deaths of five individuals, as reported by Southern Command later that day. This brings the estimated death toll from the monthslong military campaign against alleged drug smugglers to at least 115. Intelligence sources confirmed that the vessels were operating along established narco-trafficking routes and were actively engaged in narco-trafficking activities.
Southern Command clarified that the recent military actions resulted in the deaths of five narco-terrorists—three from the first vessel and two from the second.
The handling of survivors from these military strikes, particularly by the Trump administration, has faced intense scrutiny. Critics have raised alarms about potential war crimes following a follow-up strike on September 2 that killed two survivors. Furthermore, two men who survived a strike in the Caribbean Sea on October 16 were detained by the U.S. Navy and subsequently repatriated, leading to questions regarding the legitimacy of the threat posed by alleged drug traffickers to the U.S.
On October 27, another round of strikes in the Pacific resulted in one survivor, who is now presumed dead. Members of Congress, primarily from the Democratic party, have expressed concern over these military actions, questioning their legality and seeking to limit the strikes. These developments occur amidst escalating tensions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the Trump administration accuses of collaborating with drug traffickers and terrorist organizations—claims that Maduro has strongly denied.
Lawmakers have raised concerns that these strikes, conducted without Congressional authorization, could escalate into direct conflict with Venezuela. President Trump has repeatedly threatened land strikes against Venezuela, asserting that the U.S. military recently targeted a significant facility linked to drug smuggling operations. During a press conference in Florida, Trump mentioned a major explosion in the dock area where drugs are loaded onto boats, although details on this operation have been sparse.
Despite the controversies, many Republicans have defended the military strikes, especially after the administration acknowledged that two survivors from the September 2 boat attack were killed during a subsequent strike. The ongoing military campaign continues to raise critical questions about U.S. foreign policy and military engagement in the region.