Vessel struck by US military off Venezuela was heading back to shore, AP sources say

Vessel struck by US military off Venezuela was heading back to shore, AP sources say

By LISA MASCARO, AAMER MADHANI, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and REGINA GARCIA CANO

https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-drugs-boat-venezuela-5d28da68e3ea1b5b1b14829af8aadd7b?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

Updated 7:34 PM CDT, September 11, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military strike on what the Trump administration says was a drug-carrying speedboat from Venezuela came after the vessel had turned around and was heading back to shore, raising fresh questions as members of Congress are demanding more information about the provocative attack.

National security officials acknowledged during a closed briefing this week on Capitol Hill that the boat carrying 11 people, described by the Trump administration as Tren de Aragua gang members, was fired on multiple times by the U.S. military after it had changed course, according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The New York Times first reported the development.

The emerging details come as the Trump administration has justified the military strike, but several senators, Democrats and some Republicans, have indicated dissatisfaction with the administration’s rationale and questioned the legality of the action. They view it as a potential overreach of executive authority in part by using the military for law enforcement purposes.

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“Our armed forces are not law enforcement agencies,” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a floor speech this week.

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Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.


Cabello U.S. government claims that the boat, a small fishing boat known as a “peñero”, was carrying 11 people and drugs, saying “If you put 11 people on that peñero, there’s no room for anything else because when those peñeros go to sea, the fishermen have to carry gasoline for the return trip so as not to be left adrift.”

In the US Sen. Rand Raul, R-Ky., has said it was unlikely the boat was headed to U.S. shores, which would be a lengthy trip for such a vessel.