Ecuadorian Survivor of US Military Strike on Drug Submarine Released

Sun Dec 07 2025 01:17:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following a US strike on a suspected drug smuggling submarine in the Caribbean, Ecuador has released one survivor, while a Colombian national remains hospitalized. The incident raises questions about the legality of US military actions targeting drug trafficking in international waters.

Ecuador has released Andrés Fernando Tufiño, a survivor of a US military strike that targeted a submarine allegedly smuggling drugs. Meanwhile, another survivor, a Colombian national, is hospitalized with severe injuries. The incident highlights ongoing US military operations in the Caribbean against drug trafficking, however, its legality and implications for international law are under scrutiny.

Ecuador has released the survivor of a US strike on a submarine alleged to have been smuggling drugs in the Caribbean.

US military forces captured the Ecuadorean national along with a Colombian citizen after they attacked the submarine the two were on. US President Donald Trump stated they would be returned to their countries of origin for detention and prosecution.

However, the Ecuadorean Attorney General's office has declared that the Ecuadorean survivor could not be detained as there was no report of a crime brought to their attention.

The United States has been conducting a series of strikes on what it identifies as drug-smuggling vessels in the region.

Earlier, Ecuadorean officials confirmed one of the survivors from the Thursday attack was identified as Andrés Fernando Tufiño. He and the Colombian man, Jeison Obando Pérez, represent the first survivors of the US military's extensive counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean.

Details indicate that two other men aboard the semi-submersible were killed during the attack, according to President Trump.

Since September, at least 32 people have died in roughly seven separate strikes conducted by the US military. The legality of these attacks has been called into question, with experts claiming they breach international law.

When questioned about the survivors, Trump mentioned they were aboard a drug-carrying submarine built specifically for the transportation of massive amounts of drugs. He alleged the vessel was carrying mostly fentanyl, and other illegal narcotics.

Notably, experts have pointed out that fentanyl primarily enters the US from Mexico instead of the Caribbean regions where the strikes are conducted.

Approximately 10,000 US troops, along with numerous military aircraft and ships, have been deployed to the Caribbean as part of this operation. President Trump also shared footage showing the semi-submersible before it was hit.

The two men were rescued by a US military helicopter and subsequently taken to a US warship, before being repatriated. Reports indicate that the Ecuadorean survivor was in good health. However, the Colombian survivor suffered severe injuries and is receiving treatment in a Bogotá hospital.

Colombian officials state that the man had been on a vessel filled with cocaine, which constitutes a crime in Colombia.

The US military’s operations are mainly targeting vessels linked to Venezuela, with Trump accusing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of overseeing drug-trafficking activities. Maduro's government has denied these allegations and asserts that the military operations aim to overthrow him.

As more operations unfold, critics and regional leaders are increasingly raising concerns regarding the collateral effects and legality of these US military actions.