The U.S. destroyed a submarine allegedly carrying narcotics in the Caribbean on Thursday, killing two and also leaving two survivors, according to Trump. It is believed to be the first time there have been survivors after such strikes, according to The Associated Press.
“The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their Countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social.
Thursday’s strike is at least the sixth U.S. strike on alleged drug-carrying vessels in the area since September. At least 29 people have been killed as a result of the six strikes, according to the Trump administration.
The president said the alleged drug-carrying submarine that was destroyed was heading toward the United States on a narco-trafficking transit route and that U.S. intelligence had confirmed the submarine contained fentanyl and other narcotics.
Survivors of Thursday’s strike were reportedly picked up by a helicopter and held aboard a U.S. Navy ship, according to Reuters, which was first to report news of the strike.
Trump’s Truth Social post also contained an unclassified military video of the submarine’s destruction.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed Saturday that one of the survivors of the U.S. military strike was returned home safely.
“We received the Colombian detained in the narco submarine; we are glad that he is alive and he will be processed in accordance with the laws,” Petro said in a post on the social media platform X.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the second survivor had been repatriated to Ecuador.
The Navy referred Military Times’ request for comment to the White House, which did not immediately return the request.
The Trump administration’s counter-narcotics campaign began on the president’s first day in office when he signed an executive order codifying cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
Since then, at least eight U.S. vessels have been assigned to the Southern Command area of operations in support of counter-narcotics efforts.
Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, the commander of U.S. Southern Command overseeing the military strikes in the Caribbean, would be stepping down from his post.
While Hegseth described the departure as a product of elected retirement on Holsey’s part, the New York Times reported that the move came as friction between Holsey and Hegesth mounted over Holsey’s concerns over the objective of the strikes and the attacks on the alleged drug boats.
Holsey, who has served in the military for 37 years, was only a year into his tenure as commander when he seemingly decided to retire.
Trump also confirmed Wednesday that he awarded authority to the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and that he is mulling over ordering land operations in the country.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.