US Military Strikes Down Two Survivors of Vessel Attack, Killing Them in Second Strike
Two men who survived a US military strike on their vessel in the Caribbean Sea last September clung to the wreckage for almost 45 minutes before being killed in a second strike. The incident, which was first reported by The Intercept, has raised questions about the military's actions and the legality of the strikes.
According to three government sources and a senior lawmaker, Adm. Frank Bradley, then head of Joint Special Operations Command, ordered a follow-up strike that killed the two men after they boarded a small portion of the capsized boat. The first strike had already set the vessel on fire, and the survivors were waving for help.
The military claimed that there was cocaine in the quarter of the boat that remained afloat, and that the survivors could have drifted to land or to a rendezvous point with another vessel. However, three sources familiar with briefings by Bradley confirmed that the men did not pose an imminent threat to US forces or the lives of others.
"This is one of the most disturbing aspects," said one source. "We could not understand the logic behind it." The incident highlights concerns about the military's actions in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, where 22 known attacks have been carried out since September, killing at least 87 civilians.
The US military has claimed that the strikes are lawful under a classified opinion produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. However, critics argue that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
"This is not hyperbole," said Sarah Harrison, who previously advised Pentagon policymakers on issues related to human rights and the law of war. "Court orders are being ignored. MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies."
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
Will you help us?
The military's actions raise questions about accountability and the rule of law. As the US government continues to carry out strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, it is essential that Congress and other lawmakers hold them accountable for their actions.
The Intercept has a long history of covering authoritarian governments and human rights abuses around the world. We will continue to investigate and report on these issues, even if it means going against the powers that be. Join us in defending democracy and press freedom.
Two men who survived a US military strike on their vessel in the Caribbean Sea last September clung to the wreckage for almost 45 minutes before being killed in a second strike. The incident, which was first reported by The Intercept, has raised questions about the military's actions and the legality of the strikes.
According to three government sources and a senior lawmaker, Adm. Frank Bradley, then head of Joint Special Operations Command, ordered a follow-up strike that killed the two men after they boarded a small portion of the capsized boat. The first strike had already set the vessel on fire, and the survivors were waving for help.
The military claimed that there was cocaine in the quarter of the boat that remained afloat, and that the survivors could have drifted to land or to a rendezvous point with another vessel. However, three sources familiar with briefings by Bradley confirmed that the men did not pose an imminent threat to US forces or the lives of others.
"This is one of the most disturbing aspects," said one source. "We could not understand the logic behind it." The incident highlights concerns about the military's actions in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, where 22 known attacks have been carried out since September, killing at least 87 civilians.
The US military has claimed that the strikes are lawful under a classified opinion produced by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. However, critics argue that the strikes are illegal extrajudicial killings because the military is not permitted to deliberately target civilians.
"This is not hyperbole," said Sarah Harrison, who previously advised Pentagon policymakers on issues related to human rights and the law of war. "Court orders are being ignored. MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies."
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
Will you help us?
The military's actions raise questions about accountability and the rule of law. As the US government continues to carry out strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, it is essential that Congress and other lawmakers hold them accountable for their actions.
The Intercept has a long history of covering authoritarian governments and human rights abuses around the world. We will continue to investigate and report on these issues, even if it means going against the powers that be. Join us in defending democracy and press freedom.
. I mean, they were under pressure from politicians who are in charge of national security, and they had to act fast 
. Its not that easy being a soldier or sailor, you gotta make split second decisions sometimes 
. The thing is, the military did have reason to believe there was coke on that boat, and those two guys could've been a threat if they'd gotten back to land or someone else's boat 
. I think we need to be careful with our words, we dont want to make it easy for people who are already trying to undermine the military 
.
which is straight up terrifying 
they're just saying it was gonna drift to land or something but honestly who cares about that when you've got innocent ppl in the water? this whole thing reeks of imperial overreach and a blatant disregard for human life 
the justice dep'ts opinion on this is basically meaningless cuz what they are doing is straight up murder 
we know there's cocaine on the boat but that doesn't mean they're a threat to anyone else. it's not just about the law, it's about humanity! 
these guys were already hurt after the first strike & now they're killed again... what's wrong with our leaders? 
are they thinking of us or themselves? 
this is so sad... 2 guys clinging to wreckage for almost 45 min before being killed in 2nd strike 
they didn't do anything wrong but just trying to survive after their boat got attacked 
the logic behind that doesn't make sense at all 
why are they targeting civilians in first place? 
the whole thing smells like a setup to me. is there something we're not being told? 
can't just ignore court orders & target civilians like that 
. What's good with this? You got two guys clinging to a boat, waving for help, and then BAM! Second strike takes 'em out 
. The excuse about cocaine and drifting to land just don't add up 
. If the military is gonna start playing judge, jury, and executioner, that's not democracy, that's dictatorship 
. The Intercept's doing their due diligence to expose this, but someone gotta ask tough questions 
.
the fact that 22 known attacks have been carried out since september with at least 87 civilian deaths is just crazy. what's being done to hold people accountable? i think we need more transparency and answers from the government about these actions. 
doesn't make sense to me. and why do we need to know if there was cocaine on the boat? that's not even relevant to the situation. i mean, can't we just help them instead of shooting them? 
gotta wonder what kinda 'logic' they came up with 
at least 87 civilians killed already and this is just a bonus strike? what's next? targeting innocent fishermen or something? 
this whole thing reeks of accountability issues 
. The fact that a classified opinion from the Justice Department is being used to justify these strikes without proper oversight is just disturbing 
. I think Congress and other lawmakers need to step in and make sure they're holding the military accountable for its actions 
... Can't let this kind of thing slide without some serious repercussions, if you ask me 
...