Washington DC - A new report claims that the Venezuelan boat recently hit with a missile strike ordered by President Donald Trump's administration was attempting to flee before it was destroyed.

US officials recently told The New York Times that the boat had "altered its course and appeared to have turned around before the attack started because the people onboard had apparently spotted a military aircraft stalking it."

On September 2, Trump ordered a missile strike on a boat in the southern Caribbean he claims was attempting to smuggle drugs into the US. The strike killed 11 individuals he claims were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

The strike has been under heavy scrutiny, as his administration has provided no evidence to support either claims, only releasing a blurry 29-second video of the attack.

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Critics have argued that even if the claims are true, it does not warrant killing non-combatant civilians without giving them due process for an offense that typically results in a prison sentence.

Trump and his team have championed the strike, and insisted lethal military force was permissible under the laws of armed conflict to defend the country from drug smugglers.

The president also joked that fisherman will think twice before sailing in the region.

"I think anybody that saw that is going to say, 'I'll take a pass,'" Trump said. "They may say, 'I'm not getting on the boat. I'm not going to take a chance.'"