The U.S. Coast Guard is intensifying efforts to locate survivors following an operation on Tuesday that targeted three suspected drug trafficking vessels traveling in convoy across the Eastern Pacific.

These ships, reportedly under the control of recognized terrorist organizations, were navigating international waters while allegedly transferring narcotics amongst themselves before the strikes occurred.

The first vessel saw the deaths of three alleged narco-terrorists, while crews on the other two ships reportedly abandoned them before subsequent actions resulted in their sinking.

The U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) announced an additional strike against supposed narco-terrorist vessels on Wednesday. (@Southcom via X)

The exact number of survivors who managed to escape from the vessels remains unknown.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson told Fox News officials began coordinating search efforts at about 3 p.m. Tuesday after receiving notification from the Department of War of people in the water approximately 400 nautical miles southwest of the Mexico and Guatemala border.

A Coast Guard HC-130J plane was deployed from Sacramento, Calif., to search for potential survivors. (U.S. Coast Guard)

A HC-130J aircraft was deployed from Sacramento, California, to search an area covering more than 1,000 nautical miles and issued an urgent marine information broadcast to mariners in the area, according to the spokesperson.

Video shows a kinetic strike on a narco-terror vessel in international waters Wednesday. (U.S. Southern Command via X)

As of Friday, the Coast Guard has coordinated more than 65 hours of search efforts, including working with partner nations and commercial fishing and Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system vessels.

On Wednesday, five suspected narco-terrorists were killed in a U.S. military strike against two vessels allegedly operated by designated terrorist organizations involved in narcotics trafficking.

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this story.