Attack On Alleged Drug Vessel Leaves 3 Survivors In Eastern Pacific, U.s. Military Says

WASHINGTON — The U.S. subject said Friday that it attacked an alleged drug-smuggling alloy successful nan eastbound Pacific Ocean, leaving 3 survivors, arsenic portion of nan Trump administration’s run against alleged traffickers.

U.S. Southern Command, which oversees overmuch of Latin America, said successful a station connected X that it instantly notified nan U.S. Coast Guard to activate nan hunt and rescue strategy for nan survivors.

The station did not authorities that nan survivors person been rescued aliases whether anyone had been killed successful nan strike.

At slightest 157 group person been killed successful vessel strikes by nan U.S. subject since nan Trump management began targeting those it calls “narcoterrorists” successful mini vessels successful early September.

As pinch astir of nan military’s statements connected nan much than 40 known strikes successful nan Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, U.S. Southern Command said it targeted alleged supplier traffickers on known smuggling routes. The subject did not supply grounds that nan alloy was ferrying drugs. It posted a video connected X that showed a alloy erupting into flames arsenic it cruised done nan water.

President Trump has said nan U.S. is successful “armed conflict” pinch cartels successful Latin America and has justified nan attacks arsenic a basal escalation to stem nan travel of narcotics into nan United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his management has offered small grounds to support its claims of sidesplitting “narcoterrorists.”

Critics person questioned nan wide legality of nan vessel strikes arsenic good arsenic their effectiveness, successful portion because nan fentanyl down galore fatal overdoses is typically trafficked to nan U.S. complete onshore from Mexico, wherever it is produced pinch chemicals imported from China and India.