Death toll from US strikes on alleged drug boats reaches 126 people
January 26, 2026
The U.S. military says the death toll from strikes on alleged drug boats is up to 126 people, with the inclusion of those presumed dead after being lost at sea. The military said 116 people were killed immediately in at least 36 attacks carried out since early September. Ten others are believed dead because searchers didn’t locate them. Eight of those presumed dead jumped off boats when American forces attacked a trio of vessels in late December. The number wasn’t released previously. The military said when announcing those strikes that the U.S. Coast Guard had searched for survivors.