US President Donald Trump posted a video on the social network Truth Social showing the US Navy attacking a U-boat believed to be transporting drugs in the Caribbean. In the post, he described it as a very large drug-carrying ship, consisting primarily of fentanyl and many other drugs.
According to the 30-second clip, the ship moved close to the water surface and hit at least two shells before losing energy and sinking.
Mr. Trump said there were four "drug terrorists" on board, two of whom died, two survivors were rescued by helicopter and taken to the US warship for medical care. The two were later handed over to Ecuador and Colombia for detention and prosecution.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that the country had received the arrested citizen, saying the person would be handled under the law. A source from the Ecuadoran government also said that the remaining suspect has been extradited back to his country and is awaiting litigation.
Trump insists that if the ship cannot be stopped, at least 25,000 Americans could be killed. He said the attack was evidence that the US is stepping up efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking.
Since September, the US military has attacked at least five surface ships suspected of transporting drugs, mostly involving organizations in Venezuela, but this is the first time any survivors have been arrested.
Washington has long accused the Venezuelan presidential administration of Nicolas Putin of condoning drug trafficking and has imposed many sanctions on Venezuela. Trump also confirmed that he had allowed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct a covert operation in Venezuela, but did not disclose the ultimate goal.
Putin's government has denied all allegations and condemned the attacks as an act of infringing on sovereignty. Venezuela has sent a letter to the UN Security Council, requesting the agency to condemn and consider US military actions offshore as a violation of international law.
