US Strikes On Suspected Narco Boats Left Survivors — Each Handled Differently, Prompting Legal Scrutiny

As the U.S. military has carried out a campaign of strikes against vessels suspected of carrying narcotics in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific, at least five people initially survived explosions that sank or disabled their boats and killed crewmembers. The treatment of those survivors varied sharply, prompting congressional questions and legal concerns over whether follow-up attacks complied with the law of armed conflict.

What Happened

The campaign — which U.S. officials say has resulted in 87 people killed aboard 23 vessels — began on Sept. 2. That first operation has drawn particular scrutiny because a follow-up strike reportedly killed two survivors who were clinging to an overturned and damaged boat.

Sept. 2 Follow-Up Strike

Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley, commander of Joint Special Operations Command at the time, told lawmakers he ordered a second strike to destroy remaining portions of the vessel after the initial attack because debris appeared to still be afloat and contain cocaine. Officials have defended the decision by arguing survivors could have been rescued and later resumed trafficking.

This screengrab taken from a video posted by the Defense Department shows a boat shortly before it is hit by a strike on September 2, 2025. - Defense Department

"They’re breaking the law either way," said Sarah Harrison, a former associate general counsel at the Pentagon and now a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. "They’re killing civilians in the first place, and then if you assume they’re combatants, it’s also unlawful — under the law of armed conflict, if somebody is 'hors de combat' and no longer able to fight, then they have to be treated humanely."

Different Outcomes in Later Incidents

On Oct. 16, U.S. forces recovered two survivors from a submersible struck in the Caribbean and handed them to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia. Those two men were reportedly on life rafts after the vessel sank and had no access to the alleged narcotics on board.

By contrast, a survivor reported after Oct. 27 strikes in the Pacific was not recovered and is now presumed dead. Mexican authorities conducted maritime search-and-rescue operations (which typically run for 96 hours) after being notified by the Pentagon that there might be a survivor. The Pentagon has since said it will include that presumed death in its public toll.

Legal And Policy Issues

Lawmakers, legal experts and human-rights analysts have questioned whether killing people who are no longer able to fight — "hors de combat" under the law of armed conflict — could amount to an unlawful killing. Defense officials maintain that policy governing how survivors are handled has not changed and that decisions depend on circumstances at the scene.

This screengrab taken from a video posted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, shows two boats shortly before they are struck by a missile, in the Eastern Pacific on October 27, 2025. In his post, Hegseth said that US military forces struck these boats and two others, killing 14 people and leaving one survivor. - Pete Hegseth/X

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other senior officials have publicly backed the operational commanders, saying the follow-up strikes were directed to remove a threat and deny traffickers the ability to recover narcotics. Critics counter that options such as rescue, detention, or secure destruction of contraband should be exhausted before firing on people in the water or clinging to wreckage.

Current Status

Strike tempo has slowed in recent weeks, with a 19-day gap prior to a Dec. 4 operation. Officials say the campaign will continue; lawmakers and legal analysts say they will press for clearer rules and oversight to ensure compliance with domestic and international law.

Key figures: At least five initial survivors across multiple strikes; 87 people killed across 23 boats, according to U.S. officials. Investigations and congressional briefings are ongoing.