Mysterious Drone Attacks on Ecuadorian Fishing Vessels

In early 2026 three Ecuadorian fishing boats—the *Fiorella*, *Negra Francisca Duarte II*, and *Don Maca*—were attacked in the Pacific near the Galápagos Islands. Survivors said English-speaking assailants in matching uniforms with American-flag patches used quadcopter drones to strike the vessels. On March 17 a drone set the *Negra Francisca Duarte II* ablaze, forcing 16 crew members into the water; on March 26 drones bombed the *Don Maca* without warning. The *Fiorella* disappeared after a January 20 incident in which the boat was reportedly monitored by aircraft, patrol boats and drones bearing U.S. markings; its crew has never been found.

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The attacks occurred amid the U.S. “Operation Southern Spear,” a campaign launched by the Trump administration in September 2025 that targets vessels alleged to be smuggling drugs. The Pentagon has acknowledged at least 66 strikes since that month, resulting in more than 220 deaths, and maintains that no civilians were killed in the operations. The Washington Post linked the recent Ecuadorian incidents to a covert CIA boat-strike program distinct from the Department of Defense’s bombing campaign.

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According to statements collected by Ecuadorian media, after the drone assaults the fishermen were rescued by a foreign vessel, handcuffed, hooded and transferred to Salvadoran authorities, then returned to Ecuador without explanation. Captain Hernán Flores described the March 17 attack on the *Negra Francisca Duarte II* as a drone strike that ignited the boat and left the crew clinging to the sea. The *Don Maca* crew reported an unannounced drone bombing on March 26.

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The U.S. military asserts that its strikes have not targeted civilians. Anonymous government officials have dismissed the Pentagon’s civilian-casualty claim as a “total whitewash.” The Washington Post noted the absence of public evidence linking the attacked crews to drug trafficking.

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