St. Lucia – Fishermen Reported Killed by U.S. Boat Strike

2026-02-21 - 13:34

An unconfirmed number of St. Lucian fishermen are believed to have been killed in a recent lethal U.S. boat strike in Caribbean waters, the latest in an expanding American military campaign against alleged drug-trafficking vessels that has claimed more than 130 lives since last September. St. Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre on Monday confirmed that “people had lost their lives” under unclear circumstances but clarified that he had received no official notification regarding the incident to date. His statement followed reports that the burnt hulls of at least two fishing vessels had surfaced off Canouan and Bequia over the weekend, following deadly U.S. strikes on February 13 and February 16. On Saturday, U.S. Southern Command announced the February 13 strike, which it said was carried out by Joint Task Force Southern Spear in the Caribbean and had killed three people. The announcement did not indicate the specific location of the strike within the region. However, according to local media, residents reported seeing a flash of light on the water near Bequia, followed by a “massive explosion.” Images of the debris have since circulated widely on social media. Following SouthCom’s announcement of three additional strikes on February 16, one again identified as occurring in Caribbean waters, the Express was told that remnants of a second vessel were spotted near the island. Relatives of at least two local fishermen have since told local media they believe their loved ones were killed in the military action. A report from MBC on Tuesday identified one of the men as 38-year-old fisherman Rickey Joseph, a father of four. Another man, identified as Navi, is also believed to have been killed. The MBC report stated that both men had departed from Savannes Bay in St. Lucia on February 11 for what was described as a routine fishing trip. They were expected to return home that evening but have not been seen since. “What we have are the remnants from the vessels. The belief is that there were two strikes and two boats were hit, and one of those boats may have had St. Lucian fishermen on it. We are left to make assumptions, and nothing is known for sure without concrete evidence. The two vessels you see have come into some sort of misadventure; they were burnt and destroyed,” a St. Lucian resident told the Express. During a news conference on Monday, Pierre was pressed about the identities of those who had lost their lives but reiterated that he had received no official confirmation. He added that the matter would be investigated by “the powers responsible for investigations.” A statement later posted to his social media accounts noted that the St. Lucian government was actively engaging established diplomatic channels to verify the facts and promised that confirmed information would be communicated to the public promptly. “In matters affecting national security and regional stability, speculation has no place. Our approach is disciplined, fact-based, and guided by the singular priority of protecting the people and interests of Saint Lucia,” he said.