WATCH: Shock and Uncertainty in St. Lucia After Deadly U.S. Strike in Caribbean Waters

A U.S. military strike on a vessel in Caribbean waters has sparked alarm in St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines after reports that fishermen may have been killed in the attack.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said the strike took place on Feb. 13 under the direction of its commander, Gen. Francis L. Donovan. In a statement posted on Facebook, SOUTHCOM said Joint Task Force Southern Spear carried out “a lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel it described as being operated by designated terrorist organizations along known narcotics trafficking routes. It said three “narco-terrorists” were killed and no U.S. personnel were harmed.

The explosion was reported around 2 p.m. several miles off Canouan. Fishermen there said they saw and heard the blast.

However, reports from St. Lucia indicate the men aboard may have been fishermen. Three St. Lucian nationals who left port earlier in the week have not returned, according to local sources.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said the government is seeking clarification.

“Let me assure the nation: the Government of St. Lucia is actively engaging through established diplomatic and security channels to verify the facts,” Pierre said in a statement.

At his weekly pre-Cabinet briefing, Pierre confirmed that lives were lost but said authorities had not received official details on the identities or circumstances.

“I can confirm that people lost their lives,” he said. “But I got no official notification on anything else. The issue is being investigated by the powers responsible for investigations.”

The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has not issued a public statement.

Photographs published Saturday by the St. Vincent Times showed the charred remains of a vessel off Canouan, with part of the bow visible above water. No bodies were reported at the scene.

The incident has raised questions in the region about the vessel’s location, the identities of those on board and the legal basis for the strike.

U.S. officials have said at least 36 vessels have been targeted in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September, resulting in more than 120 deaths. The administration says the operations are aimed at disrupting drug trafficking bound for the United States.

Pierre urged the public to avoid speculation as investigations continue.

“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.”

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