Families of Trinidadian Men Killed in US Boat Strike Demand Justice and Accountability

The families of two men from Trinidad and Tobago, Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo, have marked the one-year anniversary of their disappearance by demanding accountability from the United States. The men are believed to have been killed on October 14, 2025, in one of the US military's campaign of boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. These strikes, initiated under US President Donald Trump, target vessels suspected of transporting “narco-terrorists,” but critics have labeled them an illegal campaign of extrajudicial killings.

Joseph’s mother, Lenore Burnley, expressed the profound grief and loss experienced by the family, stating, “The last year has been devastating without Chad in our lives. Chad was the heart of our family. He was loving, generous and caring and always there for us. We all miss him terribly.” She added, “A year later, we are still grieving and seeking justice for his death. We will always mourn losing Chad but hope that this lawsuit will be a step towards justice for him and the family.”

The families are currently pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit in Massachusetts, with support from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights. They contend that Joseph and Samaroo were fishermen and farm workers, not drug traffickers, and had been working in Venezuela to support their families before their deaths. The two men last spoke to their families two days before embarking on their journey home to Trinidad and Tobago.

The attack on October 14, 2025, resulted in the deaths of four other individuals besides Joseph and Samaroo when a missile struck their vessel. Since September 2025, the US boat strike campaign has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 239 people. However, the US government has offered minimal evidence to substantiate its claims of drug trafficking and has not publicly identified the victims. In numerous instances, relatives from countries including Colombia, Ecuador, and Trinidad and Tobago have come forward to assert that their loved ones, who were fishermen, were among those killed and had no ties to the drug trade.

Separately, the family of Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza has filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, alleging that the Trump administration violated his right to life by bombing his boat on September 15, 2025.

The lawsuit filed by the families of Samaroo and Joseph in January is being heard by a US federal court in Boston, Massachusetts. Sallycar Korasingh, Samaroo’s youngest sister, shared her heartbreak: “Not a day goes by when our family doesn’t think about our brother Rishi. Rishi was a good person, loved by his family and community. The last year without him in our lives has been heartbreaking. My brother and family deserve justice. We will continue fighting for answers and the accountability we deserve.”

Legal experts have pointed out that even if the deceased were involved in illicit activities, the strikes could still be classified as extrajudicial killings, as international law generally prohibits the use of military force for civilian law enforcement. Drug trafficking is considered a civilian crime, not an act of war.

Jeff Stein, staff attorney with the ACLU’s National Security Project, stated, “For a year now, our clients have had to live without their loved ones and without justice in the name of President Trump’s lawless killing campaign.” He added, “These illegal strikes at sea have devastated countless families, terrified communities, and made us all less safe. We won’t stop fighting for accountability. We urge leaders in both Congress and the executive branch to finally end this illegal campaign before anyone else is killed.”