Trump says US will repatriate survivors of attack on suspected drug smuggling ship

WASHINGTON (AP) — The two survivors of a US military strike aboard a ship suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean will be sent to Ecuador and Colombia, their countries of origin, President Donald Trump said Saturday.

The military rescued the two men after they hit a submersible vessel on Thursday, in what was at least the sixth such attack since early September.

“It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG SUBMARINE that was sailing to the United States on a transit route well known for drug trafficking,” Trump said in a social media post. “US intelligence confirmed that this vessel was loaded primarily with fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.”

After Trump’s announcement, the Pentagon released a brief black-and-white video of the strike on X. In the clip, a ship can be seen moving through the waves, its bow submerged a few centimeters below the water’s surface. Then, several explosions are observed, including at least one at the rear of the ship.

The Republican president said two people on board were killed – one more than previously reported – and that the two who survived were being returned to their home countries “for detention and prosecution.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed on X on Saturday that the Colombian detained aboard what he called a “narco submarine” was at home.

“We are happy that he is alive and he will be prosecuted according to the law,” Petro wrote in a brief message.

Ecuador’s government press office said Saturday it was not immediately aware of any repatriation plans.

Together with Trump’s statement on his Truth Social program regarding the death toll, this means that US military action against shipping in the region has killed at least 29 people.

The president justified the strikes by saying that the United States engaged in “armed conflict” with drug cartels. It draws on the same legal authority that the George W. Bush administration used when it declared a war on terrorism after the September 11 attacks, and that includes the ability to capture and detain fighters and use lethal force to eliminate their leaders. Trump also treats suspected traffickers as if they were enemy soldiers in a traditional war.

The repatriation prevents the Trump administration from asking questions about the legal status of the two men in the American justice system. It could also help avoid some legal issues arising from the detention of enemy combatants in the global war on terrorism, as well as challenges to the constitutionality of the current operation.

For some legal scholars, Trump’s use of such military force against suspected drug cartels, as well as his authorization of covert actions in Venezuela, possibly to oust President Nicolás Maduro, pushes the limits of international law.

On Friday, Trump appeared to confirm reports that Maduro had offered a stake in Venezuela’s oil and other mineral wealth in recent months to try to stave off growing pressure from the United States. Venezuelan government officials also outlined a plan for Maduro to eventually leave office, according to a former Trump administration official. That plan was also rejected by the White House, the Associated Press reported.

The strikes in the Caribbean have sparked unease among members of Congress from both parties and complaints about a lack of information about how the attacks are carried out. But most Republican senators backed the administration last week on a measure that would have required Trump’s team to get congressional approval before further strikes.

Meanwhile, another resolution up for consideration would prevent Trump from outright attacking Venezuela without congressional authorization.

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Megerian reported in West Palm Beach, Florida.