The United States took survivors into custody after its military struck a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean — the first attack that anyone escaped alive since President Donald Trump began launching deadly attacks in the region last month, a defence official and another person familiar with the matter said on Friday (October 17, 2025).
Mr. Trump later confirmed the attack.
“We attacked a submarine, and that was a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs” Mr. Trump said while hosting the Ukrainian President at the White House.
Secretary of State Rubio did not dispute that there were survivors, but he repeatedly said details would be forthcoming.
The strike on Thursday brought the death toll from the Trump administration's military action against vessels in the region to at least 28.
