President Donald Trump has announced that the US will return two people who survived a strike on what he referred to as a drug-carrying submarine to their countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia.
On social media, Trump stated that two others were killed in the US strike on the vessel, which he claimed US intelligence confirmed was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.
The attack on Thursday represents at least the sixth US military strike on vessels in the Caribbean Sea in recent weeks, marking the first incident where survivors have been documented.
Reportedly, the two survivors were rescued by a US military helicopter before being transferred onto a US warship in the Caribbean, as confirmed by unnamed US officials.
In recent statements, Trump has intensified threats against Venezuela's leadership over allegations that the country is an active participant in drug trafficking to the US. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has countered that Trump's actions suggest he aims to turn Venezuela into an American colony.
Trump justified the ongoing strikes by claiming they are essential to reducing the influx of drugs from Latin America into the United States. However, details regarding the specific identities of the vessels and individuals involved have not been disclosed by his administration.
It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known narcotrafficking transit route, Trump asserted in his Truth Social post.
He indicated that the survivors, termed terrorists by Trump, would be returned for prosecution in their home countries.
UN-appointed human rights experts have criticized the US strikes as extrajudicial executions.
Trump previously shared that he authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and hinted at the possibility of conducting attacks on Venezuelan territory.
Known as narco-subs, these submarines have become a favored means of transporting drugs due to their undetectability. They are often homemade, using materials like fibreglass and plywood, and can be scuttled after completing their deliveries.
The US and other coastal nations have routinely intercepted such submarines in the past.
