U.S. Forces Sink Narco Terrorist Refueling Vessel After Pacific Interdiction

U.S. forces interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station for illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations in international waters on September 2, 2026.

The operation was directed by U.S. Southern Command Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan and carried out in coordination and collaboration with the Government of Ecuador. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was supporting the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization.

U.S. Marines and Sailors launched from USS San Antonio (LPD 17), then interdicted, boarded, searched and cleared the vessel without incident.

Individuals removed from the vessel are being safely transferred to Ecuadorian Authorities. After the vessel was cleared, U.S. forces sank it.

The interdiction cuts off a critical node in the traffickers’ logistics chain and advances the goals of the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (A3C) and Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) to dismantle narco-terrorist networks.

Gen. Donovan said, “We are taking decisive action to dismantle and destroy sophisticated logistics networks used by narco-terrorists to traffic drugs and spread violence throughout the Western Hemisphere. This operation demonstrated the elite capabilities and precision of Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, which is on watch in the region to apply total systemic friction on these networks.”

The Department of War and the A3C remain committed to defeating narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere and defending the homeland.