Ecuadorian Fishermen File Lawsuit Over US Drone Attack in Pacific

On 17 March 2026 a United States military drone strike destroyed the Ecuador‑flagged fishing vessel Negrá Francisca Duarte II about 170 nautical miles east of the Galápagos Islands in international waters. All 16 crew members survived but suffered severe burns, other injuries and lasting psychological trauma. Captain Hernán Flores said a drone approached the boat, exploded near the cabin and that U.S. personnel on a nearby vessel pointed weapons at the fishermen.

The survivors have returned to Manabí, Ecuador, where their lawyer Jorge Chiriboga is preparing a lawsuit in the United States seeking compensation for material loss, physical injuries and psychological damage, including a forensic assessment for post‑traumatic stress. The case underscores tensions over U.S. anti‑narcotics operations in the eastern Pacific that have previously resulted in more than 200 deaths.