SOCOM conducts follow-up strike killing two survivors clinging to life raft, drawing war crime allegations

Following the initial September 2 strike that sank a drug speedboat, SOCOM conducted a follow-up strike that killed two survivors who had climbed onto a life raft after the first attack. SOCOM Commander Adm. Frank "Mitch" Bradley authorized the second strike, determining the vessel had to be fully destroyed to eliminate the threat. Democratic lawmakers and international law experts immediately alleged that killing survivors on a life raft constituted a war crime under the laws of armed conflict, which prohibit attacking persons hors de combat.