The U.S. military launched an attack on a suspected drug-trafficking ship operating in the Caribbean on Sept. 2, after the initial attack did not kill everyone on board, sources familiar with the situation told CNN. That September raid was the first in a series of regular actions to deal with alleged drug-trafficking vessels.
Although the first attack appears to have disabled the ship and caused fatalities, the army estimated that there are survivors, sources say. In the second attack, the remaining crew on the ship were killed, bringing the total number of dead to 11, and the ship sank.
Defense Minister Pete Hegsett ordered the military before the operation to ensure that everyone on board was killed in the attack, but it was not clear whether he knew there were any survivors before the second attack, one of the sources said.
The attack and deaths were announced by the president Donald tramp on the day of the attack, but the administration has never publicly acknowledged the killing of survivors.
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