Ecuadorian fishermen report drone attacks in the Pacific

Ecuadorian fishermen in the Pacific Ocean have reported being attacked by unidentified English-speaking individuals using drones. Survivors from two vessels reported that in March, assailants wearing uniforms with United States flag patches, but lacking official insignia, attacked them. Some survivors stated they were pulled from the water, interrogated, and subsequently handed over to the Salvadoran Navy before being released.

One fishing vessel, the Fiorella, disappeared in January with eight crew members still missing according to the United Nations. Flight data analysis indicates that a maritime patrol aircraft based at a military installation in El Salvador tracked the three vessels in the days preceding the attacks. Air traffic control recordings suggest the pilots spoke English with American accents, and the aircraft adjusted its course to maintain orientation toward the boats for several days. The aircraft reportedly flew over the Fiorella on four separate occasions, including the day it disappeared.

The Pentagon and the United States Coast Guard have denied any involvement in these incidents.