WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military conducted three attacks Monday on boats suspected of carrying drugs in eastern Pacific waters, killing 14 people and leaving one person alive.
The announcements made on social media on Tuesday signal a continued escalation in the pace of the strikes, which began several weeks apart in early September. This is the first time that multiple strikes have been announced in one day.
Hegseth said Mexican search and rescue authorities “took responsibility for coordinating the rescue” of the sole survivor, but did not say whether the person would remain in custody or be extradited to the United States.
Two people survived the airstrike in early October, and the U.S. military rescued them and later repatriated them to Colombia and Ecuador.
Hegseth posted footage of the strike on social media, which showed two boats moving at high speed through the water. Some people are carrying visibly large amounts of parcels or bundles. Both are then seen to suddenly explode and burst into flames.
The third attack appeared to be against a pair of boats moored side by side in the water. At least two people are seen moving before the explosion engulfs both boats, which appear to be nearly empty.
The death toll from 13 strikes announced since early September now stands at at least 57.
