**U.S. Sends Survivors of Caribbean Drug Vessel Strike to Home Countries for Prosecution, President Trump Says**
WASHINGTON — The United States is repatriating the two survivors of a Thursday strike on a semi-submersible vessel in the Caribbean to their home countries, Colombia and Ecuador, where they will face detention and prosecution, President Donald Trump announced today.
The decision, initially reported by Reuters, allows the U.S. military to sidestep complex legal challenges related to military detention of suspected drug traffickers, whose alleged offenses do not clearly fall under the laws of war, according to legal experts.
“The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution,” Trump stated on Truth Social.
Both men have reportedly arrived safely in their respective countries. Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed the arrival of the Colombian detainee, saying, “We have received the Colombian detained on the narco submarine, we are happy he is alive and he will be processed according to the law.” He did not provide additional details.
An Ecuadorean government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Ecuadorean survivor returned around 11 a.m. local time and will undergo legal processing in due course. Ecuador’s communications office and foreign ministry had not responded to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
The U.S. military conducted a helicopter rescue operation on Thursday following their strike on the semi-submersible vessel, which was suspected to be involved in trafficking illegal narcotics. The attack resulted in the deaths of two other crew members aboard the vessel.
After the rescue, the U.S. military transported the survivors to a U.S. Navy warship stationed in the Caribbean.
In his social media post, President Trump asserted, “U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.” While no evidence was presented, Trump shared a roughly 30-second video that appeared to show the semi-submersible in the water before being struck by at least one projectile.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Trump described the strike as targeting “a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs.”
The Trump administration has reported that previous strikes have resulted in 27 fatalities, sparking concern among some legal experts and Democratic lawmakers over their compliance with the laws of war.
These naval operations occur amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean region, which now includes guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and approximately 6,500 troops. This escalation coincides with rising tensions between the U.S. and the Venezuelan government.
On Wednesday, Trump revealed that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. This disclosure has fueled speculation in Caracas that the United States aims to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
President Maduro has denied any involvement in drug trafficking and condemned the U.S. naval strikes as a pretext for regime change. He characterized the operations as violations of Venezuelan sovereignty and international law.
Earlier this week, Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, urging a formal determination that the U.S. strikes off Venezuela’s coast are illegal. He requested that the council issue a statement affirming Venezuela’s sovereignty. The letter was seen by Reuters.
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