On Friday, U.S. forces carried out a deadly strike on a vessel reportedly operated by a recognized terrorist group, resulting in the deaths of two individuals suspected of being involved in narco-terrorism.
The U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) confirmed that intelligence reports had identified the vessel navigating through established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific, actively participating in smuggling activities.
Following the strike, USSOUTHCOM initiated a search-and-rescue operation aimed at locating one suspected narco-terrorist who officials believe survived the attack.
The most recent use of a kinetic strike by the Department of War in the Eastern Pacific occurred on December 31, targeting three vessels suspected of narco-trafficking that were moving in a convoy.
U.S. authorities conducted the lethal strike in the Eastern Pacific, targeting a ship involved in “narco-terrorism operations,” as stated by the U.S. Southern Command.
The three vessels, purportedly under the control of designated terrorist organizations, were navigating international waters at the time of the operation.
Officials claimed those aboard transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes.
Three narco-terrorists were reportedly killed on the first vessel, while those on the other two ships jumped out before follow-on engagements sank the vessels.
USSOUTHCOM announced another kinetic strike against alleged naro-terrorist vessels on Wednesday, Dec. 31. (@Southcom via X)
It is unclear how many survivors escaped.
Despite extensive coordination with international rescue coordination centers, Department of War partners, and Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system vessels, the Coast Guard said available assets were “extremely limited due to distance and range constraints,” prompting them to suspend the search Jan. 2.
“Suspending a search is never easy and given the exhaustive search effort, lack of positive indications and declining probability of survival, we have suspended active search efforts pending further developments,” U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Patrick Dill, chief of incident management in the southwest district, wrote in a statement on Jan. 2.
“At this stage of the response, the likelihood of a successful outcome, based on elapsed time, environmental conditions, and available resources for a person in the water is very low,” Dill added.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
