Attacks on Ecuadorian Fishing Vessels in the Eastern Pacific

In early 2026 three Ecuadorian fishing boats—the *Fiorella*, *Negra Francisca Duarte II*, and *Don Maca*—were attacked at sea. Survivors described “gringos” in matching uniforms with American-flag patches operating drones. The *Don Maca* crew reported an unannounced drone strike on March 26, while the captain of the *Negra Francisca Duarte II* said a drone hit his vessel on March 17, igniting the boat and forcing 16 fishermen into the water. The *Fiorella* and its eight-person crew vanished after a reported attack in January, during the U.S. “Operation Southern Spear” campaign against alleged drug-smuggling vessels.

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Eyewitnesses said that after the drones struck, they attempted to seek help from a nearby foreign vessel. Instead, they were handcuffed, hooded, and later transferred to Salvadoran authorities. Similar narratives were reported by both *El Universo* and *Primicias*, which documented the crews’ escape in small boats and subsequent detention. The attacks have generated fear among fishermen in Manabí, Ecuador’s principal fishing province.

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A *New York Times* investigation traced a maritime patrol aircraft that repeatedly followed the Ecuadorian boats in the days before the attacks. Flight-data analysis showed the aircraft’s path matched the vessels’ routes, yet the plane was not listed among Pentagon assets. Records indicate the aircraft was registered to a private company whose address was a UPS-store mailbox in Virginia, deepening uncertainty about who operated it. The Pentagon has publicly claimed that no civilians were killed in its strikes, a statement described by unnamed government officials as “a total whitewash.”

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Families of two Trinidadian men killed in a separate strike earlier in the year have filed wrongful-death lawsuits against the United States. A Colombian relative lodged a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have called for an independent investigation, citing evidence that Ecuadorian forces destroyed a dairy farm in March 3 with U.S. assistance despite lacking credible links to trafficking.

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The identity of the attackers, the chain of command for the drones, and the legal status of the private aircraft remain unresolved. Survivors, regional governments, and human-rights organizations continue to demand transparency, while U.S. officials have not provided further details beyond their initial denial of civilian casualties.

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