US military says strike on suspected narco-trafficking boat in Eastern Pacific kills two; Coast Guard searches for survivor
The US military said it killed two alleged drug traffickers in a strike on a boat in the Eastern Pacific, as the Coast Guard searched for a third person seen in video footage who survived the blast.
- Advertisement -
US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said in a post on X that “intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.” The post included a brief clip showing a multi-engined speedboat moments before it was engulfed by an explosion. Three people were visible aboard the vessel prior to the strike, SOUTHCOM said.
SOUTHCOM added that it “immediately” notified the US Coast Guard to look for the survivor. No further details on the identities of those aboard, the precise timing of the strike, or the exact location along the Eastern Pacific corridor were disclosed in the command’s social media statement.
The operation follows a campaign begun in early September under US President Donald Trump’s administration to target alleged smuggling boats, with officials insisting the United States is effectively at war with alleged “narco-terrorists” operating out of Venezuela. The approach has emphasized rapid, intelligence-led strikes on vessels assessed to be ferrying contraband along routes long associated with transnational trafficking networks.
The strategy has drawn sharp criticism from international law experts and rights groups, who say such maritime strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings, particularly when the targets appear to be civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the United States. They argue the operations raise questions about due process, proportionality, and the threshold for using lethal force far from US territory.
The latest strike is the first reported since late last year and also the first since US forces seized leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a lightning raid on Caracas in early January, bringing him and his wife to the United States to stand trial.
The Pentagon’s social media release offered no public accounting of the weaponry used in the Eastern Pacific strike, though the video showed the targeted boat shattered by a single detonation. In recent years, US assets assigned to regional interdiction missions have included aircraft, surface vessels, and special operations-capable platforms that can cue or deliver precision munitions at sea.
The Coast Guard search for the surviving occupant remained underway following SOUTHCOM’s notification, according to the command’s account. It was not immediately clear whether any contraband was recovered or whether additional vessels were believed to be operating in the area at the time of the strike.
The Eastern Pacific is a well-trafficked maritime corridor for illicit shipments, and SOUTHCOM’s statement underscored the role of intelligence in identifying vessels it says are tied to criminal networks. The US military’s public justification framed the operation as a continuation of efforts to disrupt alleged narco-trafficking operations before they reach Central American or North American shores.
Rights advocates contend that without transparent criteria and independent oversight, such lethal actions risk expanding a precedent for targeted killings outside traditional combat zones. For now, US officials have signaled the maritime campaign will continue, pairing intelligence collection with rapid interdiction — and, in some cases, deadly force at sea.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
