United States President Donald Trump announced that two survivors of a US military strike on a suspected drug-smuggling submarine in the Caribbean will be returned to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution.

The US military intercepted and struck the submersible vessel on Thursday, marking at least the sixth such operation since early September targeting drug-trafficking routes. According to U.S. intelligence, the submarine was heavily loaded with fentanyl and other illegal narcotics, and was en route to the United States along a known narcotrafficking corridor. 

Two individuals onboard were killed in the strike one more than previously reported while the remaining two were rescued by U.S. forces and are now being processed for repatriation.

According to figures released by the U.S. administration, the previous five maritime strikes off the coast of Venezuela resulted in at least 27 fatalities. In recent weeks, Trump has ramped up threats against Venezuela’s leadership over claims that the country is sending drugs to the US.