BREAKING: US Navy Rescues Survivors Following Strike on Suspected Drug Submarine in Caribbean
CARIBBEAN SEA – The US military has rescued two survivors after conducting an attack on a submarine in the Caribbean Sea, unnamed US officials have reported to US media. The individuals were recovered by a US military helicopter and transferred to a US warship. The US government has not yet officially confirmed the rescue.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions and a bolstered US military presence in the region, with approximately 10,000 US forces currently deployed on ships or in Puerto Rico. US Air Force B-52 bombers were observed circling the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday.
President Trump defended the attack on Friday, stating, “We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.” He added, “This was not an innocent group of people. I don’t know too many people who have submarines, and that was an attack on a drug-carrying, loaded submarine.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the targets of the strikes as “narco-terrorists.” Both Trump and Rubio declined to comment directly on reports of survivors, though Rubio indicated further data would be released later Friday.
The attack has drawn international scrutiny. UN-appointed human rights experts have labeled the US strikes as “extrajudicial executions.”
Trinidad and Tobago is investigating whether two of its citizens were killed in the US operation, as the island nation lies close to Venezuela. Venezuela’s UN Ambassador samuel Moncada has mourned the potential loss of life, calling for intervention from the UN Security Council, stating, ”There is a killer prowling the Caribbean,” and claiming people from various countries are suffering from these “massacres.” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whose legitimacy is internationally contested, has appealed for peace with the US.
The incident highlights a growing trend of drug smuggling via submersible vessels. These “narco-subs,” frequently enough homemade from materials like fiberglass and plywood, have become increasingly popular for transporting large quantities of narcotics – some carrying up to three tonnes of cocaine – to destinations in the US and Europe. While previous interceptions of these submarines have occurred, this marks a significant escalation in US response.
This week, President Trump also revealed he had authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela and is considering launching attacks on Venezuelan soil, and used an expletive to warn Venezuela against undermining US interests.
