The U.S. Navy is holding two survivors from a sixth airstrike on an alleged drug trafficking boat, multiple outlets report.
The airstrike on Thursday targeted an apparently semi-submersible vessel that was partially underwater when it was hit, according to Reuters, which first reported on both the airstrike and the survivors. Two survivors were recovered by a U.S. military helicopter while at least one other person onboard died, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. The two survivors are being kept on a Navy ship, the outlets report.
The new attack came two days after the fifth airstrike in the sea killed six people. The attack on Thursday would bring the death toll since September from American attacks to at least 28.
The Trump administration has repeatedly called the people killed drug traffickers and “narco-terrorists,” following the designation of drug cartels as terrorist organizations. It is not immediately clear how that would impact how any survivors would be held if in American custody.
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Task & Purpose reached out to the Pentagon, SOUTHCOM and the Navy regarding both the strike and under what conditions the survivors are being held, but has not heard back as of press time.
The White House and Department of Defense have accused the ships of moving narcotics from Venezuela, although no evidence has been put forward. The Guardian reported that two people killed in previous strikes were from Trinidad and Tobago.
The Trump administration had previously told Congress it considers the United States to be in an “armed conflict” with cartels. In August, the United States began moving several warships, a Marine expeditionary force and fighter jets into the Caribbean in the name of counter-drug trafficking operations. American forces began airstrikes on boats in September, even as Navy and Coast Guard ships continued regular interdictions. Last week SOUTHCOM organized a joint task force to oversee counter-narcotics efforts.
