US strikes 3 alleged drug vessels and leaves survivors -- now a search-and-rescue operation
U.S. Southern Command said it targeted three vessels traveling in a convoy in undisclosed international waters -- leaving "narco-terrorists" as survivors after they jumped overboard, according to a social media statement.
The strikes occurred on Dec. 30, according to the post on X.
"Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement," the statement said. "The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels."
At least six people survived the Dec. 30 strikes, which took place in the Eastern Pacific, according to a U.S. official.
The U.S. Coast Guard was notified to begin searching for the survivors in a search and rescue operation, the statement said.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a search-and-rescue operation was underway, and that Coast Guard C-130 aircraft had been deployed for the operation. The Coast Guard has put out a signal to other mariners for the survivors in distress.
In a statement shared with ABC News, the Coast Guard said, "on December 30th, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified by the Department of War of mariners in distress in the Pacific Ocean."
"The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating search and rescue operations with vessels in the area, and a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft is en route to provide further search coverage," it said.
Several hours after announcing the Dec. 30 strikes, Southern Command posted on social media that another series of strikes -- carried out on New Year's Eve -- had targeted two more vessels alleged to be engaged in drug trafficking. The post did not specify where the strike took place.
A total of five people were killed -- three in the first vessel and two in the second, according to the post.
There have now been at least 34 strikes -- and at least 115 people killed -- in the U.S. military campaign in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific targeting alleged drug traffickers since September.
In the posts about the strikes, the military said the vessels targeted were operated by designated terrorist organizations and that intelligence confirmed the vessel were "were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes and engaged in narco-trafficking."
The U.S. campaign targeting alleged drug boats came under scrutiny last month after the Trump administration acknowledged survivors of an initial series of strikes on an alleged drug vessel on Sept. 2 were killed in a follow-up series of strikes.
In another attack in the Caribbean in October, two survivors of a strike on a submarine suspected of carrying drugs were later returned to the countries of origin -- Ecuador and Colombia -- to be detained and prosecuted, President Donald Trump said.
On Oct. 27, a mariner, now presumed dead, also survived U.S. strikes.
