Two Ecuadorean fishing vessels were attacked and sunk in the waters near the Galapagos Islands in March, resulting in the crews being detained and transported to El Salvador, where they were questioned and later released. The U.S. government has denied involvement in the incidents, which have raised questions about military operations targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the region.

On March 17, the La Negra Francisca Duarte II, returning to port with a catch of about 3 tons of tuna, swordfish, marlin, and shark, encountered a blue boat approximately 170 miles off Ecuador’s coast near the Galapagos Islands. The crew reported seeing drones shortly after and said they were attacked, with one drone crashing onto the boat. Flames and debris reportedly engulfed the deck, injuring several crew members. According to captain José Hernán Flores, the crew had no time to prepare safety equipment, and some jumped into the water to escape the attack.

Survivors said the personnel aboard the blue vessel, who spoke English and were armed, took the 16 crew members aboard auxiliary boats, restrained them with zip ties, hooded them, and forbade communication. The fishermen were held on board under harsh conditions before being transferred to a Salvadoran naval patrol ship. The Salvadoran navy described the transfer as a “humanitarian operation” but did not offer details about how the crew was encountered. The men were taken on an eight-day voyage to El Salvador, sparking concern and protests in Manta, Ecuador, where hundreds gathered demanding information about the missing fishermen.

Nine days later, another Ecuadorean fishing vessel, the Don Maca, reported a similar attack by a “blue boat” flying a U.S. flag. The crew described encountering drones that fired upon them and reported being detained under similar circumstances before being handed to Salvadoran authorities. The Salvadoran vessel’s captain reportedly claimed the fishermen were simply “shipwreck survivors,” a characterization the victims deny.

Both crews strongly rejected allegations linking them to drug trafficking, stressing they were traditional fishermen with no criminal ties. They noted no charges were filed either in El Salvador or Ecuador. Family members back home criticized the Ecuadorian government for a lack of support, including no reimbursement for travel expenses from El Salvador or medical costs for the injured.

The U.S. Department of Defense, which oversees counter-narcotics operations in the region, has stated it was not involved in either the Negra Francisca or Don Maca incidents. The Pentagon also denied any connection to a third disappeared Ecuadorean fishing vessel, the Fiorella, which went missing in January after reports of being followed by drones and patrol boats. The United Nations described that case as a “forced disappearance.”

These incidents have drawn attention on Capitol Hill, where a proposed amendment to require the Pentagon to release unclassified evidence related to the attacks was rejected. Some lawmakers expressed concern about extrajudicial killings under a broader U.S. campaign targeting suspected narco-terrorist vessels, a campaign that critics say lacks sufficient evidence and operates with little transparency.

Ecuador’s government, led by President Daniel Noboa, has emphasized cooperation with U.S. counter-narcotics efforts and maintained that at least one of the vessels was in international waters. Noboa also suggested widespread involvement of fishermen in drug trafficking, a claim rejected by the survivors.

The attacks have left lasting physical and psychological scars on the fishermen. Several describe severe injuries and ongoing trauma, with some unable to resume their livelihoods at sea. Legal representatives of the crews have pledged to pursue claims in domestic and international courts, condemning the strikes as disproportionate and unjustified actions by foreign forces against civilians.

Meanwhile, violence linked to drug trafficking has intensified in Ecuador, transforming parts of the once-peaceful nation into conflict zones controlled by rival gangs. The port city of Manta remains a critical hub in the illicit cocaine trade, placing local fishermen at the intersection of escalating security measures and the uncertain boundaries of counter-narcotics enforcement.