Will Release 2 Survivors of Caribbean Boat Strike To Their Home Countries, Says Trump

Last Updated:October 19, 2025, 03:05 IST

Trump announced two survivors of a US strike on a drug submarine in the Caribbean will be returned to Ecuador and Colombia for prosecution after two others were killed.

US President Donald Trump. (Image: X/@WhiteHouse)

The US will be releasing the two survivors of Thursday’s military strike on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean to their home nations – Ecuador and Colombia, President Donald Trump said on Saturday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route. U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics."

He further said: “There were four known narcoterrorists on board the vessel. Two of the terrorists were killed. At least 25,000 Americans would die if I allowed this submarine to come ashore. The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their Countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution."

“No U.S. Forces were harmed in this strike. Under my watch, the United States of America will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea," he added. He also shared a video of the strike.

The US military had detained the survivors after the strike Thursday, marking the first time the Trump administration’s campaign targeting drug traffickers has resulted in the US holding prisoners, CNN reported.

Thursday’s strike was the sixth attack on a boat that was allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

In recent months, the US has deployed military to the Caribbean as part of the administration’s effort to drive down drug flow into the US.

The Trump-led administration has argued that the President has broad authorities under Article II of the Constitution to conduct the strikes against “narco-terrorists".

CNN quoted Brian Finucane, a former State Department lawyer who specialises in war powers issues, as saying that the situation was potentially going to set up a legal and policy dilemma for the administration because it was unclear under what legal authority the US military can hold the prisoners.

CNN quoted one of the sources as saying that he legally dubious situation is why the administration was considering releasing the individuals from US military custody.

News world Will Release 2 Survivors of Caribbean Boat Strike To Their Home Countries, Says Trump

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