Caribbean boat strikes: Survivors were 'waving in clear distress' after first missile hit them, say sources

Two people who survived the September 2nd US strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean were seen waving before they were killed in a second follow-up strike, sources familiar with a video shown to lawmakers revealed.

One source said the gestures could be interpreted as the survivors either calling for help or surrendering to avoid another strike.




The operation was the first of more than 20 US attacks on suspected drug-carrying vessels under the Trump administration. The GOP leader has defended the campaign as a necessary way to curb narcotics trafficking. However, the premise remains legally questionable. The Pentagon has reported that more than 80 people have died in these strikes, including 11 in the initial September 2 attack.

Members of Congress were shown video of the strikes, including the follow-up attack that killed the two survivors, during a closed-door briefing with the operation's commander, Adm. Mitch Bradley, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, according to CBS News.

Survivors were in 'clear distress'

Democratic Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut described the scene as one of the most difficult things hes ever seen in his life. He said the survivors appeared “in clear distress without any means of locomotion.”

Survivors were trying to 'stay in the fight'

Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended the strikes. He said the survivors were “trying to flip a boat loaded with drugs bound for the United States back over so they could stay in the fight” and clarified that the strikes were “entirely lawful and needful.”

Trump says Pete 'didn't know what people were talking about'

US President Donald Trump hinted he would support releasing the video to the public, but denied knowledge of any order given to target survivors. “I don't know that that happened. And Pete said he did not want that — he didn't even know what people were talking about. We'll look into it. But no, I wouldn't have wanted that. Not a second strike,” he said.

Trump has also said that Venezuela’s airspace should now be considered “closed” amid rising tensions.

Defensed department officials have defended the operations as legal and necessary. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Washington Post that “ongoing operations to dismantle narcoterrorism and to protect the Homeland from deadly drugs have been a resounding success.”

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes were “lethal, kinetic strikes” aimed at stopping drug trafficking and destroying vessels affiliated with “Designated Terrorist Organisations.”

Legal experts and lawmakers have expressed concern that targeting survivors could constitute a war crime.