WATCH: Shockwaves in the Caribbean: US Missile Strike Destroys Fishing Boat Near St Vincent, Two Fishermen Killed

A deadly United States military strike in Caribbean waters has sent shockwaves across St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, after a fishing vessel was obliterated in a missile attack that officials in Washington claim targeted “narco-terrorists.”

Fishermen across the southern Caribbean say they are now afraid to head out to sea.

The explosion reportedly occurred around 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026, several miles off the Grenadian island of Canouan. Fishers in Canouan say they both saw and heard the blast.

By 8:37 p.m., the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) confirmed the strike in a Facebook post.

In a statement, SOUTHCOM said:
“On Feb. 13, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Three narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed.”

But reports emerging from St. Lucia paint a very different and deeply disturbing picture.

Sources say the men on board were lifelong fishermen — well-known in their communities — who depended on the sea to provide for their families. Three St. Lucians who reportedly left port last Monday have not been seen since.

Watch report from MBC Television St Lucia:

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre addressed the nation amid growing concern.

“Today, I addressed reports circulating across the region that have raised concern among our citizens,” Pierre said in a Facebook statement. “Let me assure the nation: the Government of St. Lucia is actively engaging through established diplomatic and security channels to verify the facts.”

At his weekly pre-Cabinet press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed fatalities but said he had not received official notification regarding the identities or circumstances.

“I can confirm that people lost their lives,” Pierre stated. “But I got no official notification on anything else. The issue is being investigated by the powers responsible for investigations.”
Meanwhile, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government has remained silent, and police there have issued no public statement.

On Saturday, the St. Vincent Times published photographs of what it said were the charred remains of the destroyed vessel discovered off Canouan. Fishermen who came upon the wreckage reported that the bow was still visible while the engine and much of the hull were submerged. No bodies were seen floating in the area.

The strike has ignited serious questions across the region:
•⁠ ⁠Was the vessel in international waters?
•⁠ ⁠Were the men truly involved in drug trafficking?
•⁠ ⁠Or were Caribbean nationals killed without due process?

International law and human rights experts have repeatedly criticized such actions by the United States, warning that lethal strikes in regional waters may amount to extrajudicial executions — even if those targeted are alleged traffickers.

This is not the first deadly encounter.

Last month, families of two Trinidadian men killed in a separate U.S. strike off Venezuela filed a lawsuit in a Boston federal court. The claim alleges the men were victims of “lawless killings in cold blood.”

According to U.S. officials, at least 36 vessels have been struck in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September last year, resulting in more than 120 deaths. The administration maintains it is targeting “narco-terrorists” trafficking drugs bound for the United States.

But for fishermen in the southern Caribbean, the fear is immediate and personal.

Boats are staying docked. Rumors are spreading. Families are demanding answers.

Prime Minister Pierre urged calm and discipline.

“In matters affecting national security and regional stability, speculation has no place,” he said. “Our approach is disciplined, fact-based, and guided by the singular priority of protecting the people and interests of St. Lucia.”

As investigations continue, one reality is undeniable: a boat is gone, lives are lost, and an entire region is demanding to know — was this justice, or a tragic mistake at sea?