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New strikes target 3 vessels in Pacific; search underway for survivors

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Credit: SOUTHCOM

The U.S. military has carried out new strikes targeting three alleged drug-smuggling vessels traveling together in the Pacific Ocean, according to officials. At least three people were killed, while others managed to escape.

The strikes were announced Wednesday by the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in a social media post, which said the operation was conducted at the direction of Secretary Pete Hegseth.

SOUTHCOM said three narco-trafficking vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations were targeted while traveling as a convoy in international waters. The command said narcotics were transferred between the vessels before the strikes.

“Three narco-terrorists aboard the first vessel were killed in the first engagement,” SOUTHCOM said. “The remaining narco-terrorists abandoned the other two vessels, jumping overboard and distancing themselves before follow-on engagements sank their respective vessels.”

The command said it notified the U.S. Coast Guard to begin a search and rescue operation.

SOUTHCOM did not specify where the strikes took place. However, Reuters journalist Idrees Ali reported that a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft was deployed to the Pacific to assist in the search. He reported that at least eight people who abandoned ship are being searched for.

The strike is part of a broader campaign launched in September targeting vessels allegedly linked to designated terrorist organizations involved in drug trafficking across the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.

Since the operation began, at least 34 vessels have been struck, resulting in 110 deaths, according to figures released by the command. Of those vessels, 23 were operating in the Pacific and 11 in the Caribbean.

The previous strike was reported Monday, when SOUTHCOM said it targeted a single vessel in international waters of the eastern Pacific, killing two people.

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