The US military said on Tuesday it killed one person during an operation against a boat suspected of drug smuggling in the Pacific Ocean.
The military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said the US Coast Guard had been notified to launch a rescue mission for two injured people. It provided no further details on their condition or on the search effort.
SOUTHCOM said the vessel was operated by an organization designated as a terrorist group and was engaged in drug-trafficking activities in the eastern Pacific. Video released by the command showed an explosion aboard a boat followed by rising smoke.
Under orders from President Donald Trump's administration, the US military has repeatedly targeted vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific as part of efforts to disrupt international drug-smuggling networks.
Critics have questioned whether such lethal operations in international waters are permissible under international law.
