U.S. Releases Video of Attack on Semi-Submersible and Sends Survivors Home

The White House released a video of the latest attack on a semi-submersible in the Caribbean as controversy continues to surround the ongoing deadly assaults on the boats. It is the sixth attack reported by U.S. officials, but unlike the others, there were survivors.

Donald Trump had spoken out on the situation on Thursday, October 16, telling reporters that they had destroyed a submarine, and followed up two days later, today, with the video. A typical semi-submersible developed by the drug cartels is seen battling the waves before it is hit by the United States.

In the posting, Trump says they “destroyed a very large drug-carrying submarine that was navigating towards the United States on a well-known nacotrafficing transit route.” He says U.S. intelligence confirmed it was “loaded up mostly with Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.” He says four people were aboard, with two killed, and confirmed the previous reports that two other “terrorists” survived.

. @POTUS “It was my great honor to destroy a very large DRUG-CARRYING SUBMARINE that was navigating towards the United States on a well known narcotrafficking transit route. U.S. Intelligence confirmed this vessel was loaded up with mostly Fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.… pic.twitter.com/0j3sOLNygp

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) October 18, 2025

The New York Times is reporting that a Special Operations aircraft fired on the vessel in the southern Caribbean. It says minutes later, analysts watching an unreleased video observed what appeared to be at least two survivors in the water near the smoldering wreckage. They said there were also “several floating bales” in the water.

The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard dispatched helicopters and rescued two individuals. They were brought to the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima for medical attention.

“The two surviving ‘terrorists’ are being returned to their countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution,” Trump wrote in the social media posting.

The New York Times reports the two individuals have been transferred from the custody of the Pentagon to the U.S. State Department for their repatriation. They note that the U.S. has handed individuals in the past over to friendly countries when they were intercepted outside the country. The Coast Guard, in the past in the Caribbean, however, after stopping drug trafficking boats, has also arrested the individuals and brought them to the U.S. for prosecution.

Unlike the previous strikes, the administration did not link this boat to Venezuela. It has been attacking boats over the past few weeks, using the president’s declaration of the drug cartels as terrorists and combatants. The New York Times speculates that the administration might have decided not to try the individuals to test the legality of the strikes. The administration has advised Congress of its actions after the previous attacks, using language including “armed attacks” and “unlawful combatants.”

The White House reported to Congress in September that the U.S. is engaged in an armed conflict with the drug cartels. Trump wrote today that the United States will not tolerate narcoterrorists trafficking illegal drugs, by land or by sea.