SVG still awaiting official confirmation from US on ‘Drone strike’

Official confirmation is still being sought by the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in relation to a “deeply troubling” drone strike that killed three St. Lucians in waters off Canouan on Friday, February 13, 2026.

According to confirmed reports, at around 2:00 p.m. last Friday, February 14, the United States (US) military conducted a lethal drone strike in SVG’s waters.

This was confirmed by a 8:37 p.m. US military post on Facebook on Friday, February 13, 2026. There was also a website post by the U.S. Southern Command stating: “On Feb. 13, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations”.

Speaking on NBC radio on Thursday, February 19, 2026 Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday said that SVG has not yet received an official update on the strike.
“We have no real official confirmation of this from any source, other than that there was a strike. There were casualties, and I’ve heard from the reports and from a statement made by the Prime Minister of St. Lucia that three St. Lucia nationals died in that incident,” the prime minister noted.

“We have had our reports from our police, the Commissioner, and we have been in conversation with the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner with respect to this. But again, a lot of the information that we received was not official confirmation, but we can see what has happened and we’ve heard of the unofficial reports and it’s a matter that is very concerning to us,” Dr. Friday told radio listeners.
He said that strike is a “very worrying” situation for persons who operate in the nation’s waters but people cannot stop going to sea to ply their trade.

“… police put out a notice, essentially, in the caution of people; but saying that you can’t stop doing your business, you go ahead and you do your work, and we will seek to find more concrete information from the sources who would have those answers,” the Prime Minister said.

Dr. Friday said as well that the government is hoping to coordinate with U.S. authorities in an attempt to get definitive answers as to what transpired and what is likely to be the future with respect to “these things”.

“So, naturally, we are seeking confirmation as to location and all of those things, you know, how it affects our own territorial integrity. But those are matters that we are still investigating, and it’s quite troubling, however, to hear of incidences of that sort that put fear in the hearts of people travelling up and down in the waterways,” stated the Prime Minister who is also parliamentary representative for the Northern Grenadines.

He stressed that when the government receives official confirmation and definitive information from the relevant authorities, they will make the information available, as it is important to bring some level of comfort to people, “so that they can make decisions for themselves as to how to conduct themselves”.

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