An Ecuadorian fishing crew has given a rare first-hand account of being attacked by a US drone and detained at gunpoint, in what they describe as a terrifying ordeal. The incident occurred on 26 March, when the Don Maca, a 35-ton fishing vessel, was about 200 miles north-west of the Galápagos Islands.
The crew, all from communities near the port city of Manta, said they were finishing a day of fishing when a drone struck their boat without warning. Jhonny Sebastián Palacios, one of the fishers, recalled: 'There was a sudden crash – boom! It came from a drone.' The blast shattered glass and injured several crew members.
A second drone strike hit the antenna, knocking out communications. Erick Fabricio Coello Saltos, 27, suffered ruptured eardrums and shrapnel wounds. 'I was covered in blood,' he said. The crew said drones continued to circle overhead, leaving them fearing further attacks.
Shortly afterwards, a US patrol boat approached and ordered the crew to board. Palacios said their phones were confiscated and photos and videos of the attack were wiped. Once on board, US personnel pointed guns at them, handcuffed them, and placed hoods over their heads. 'We were terrified they were going to kill us,' Palacios said.
The crew were held for several hours before being transferred to a Salvadorian patrol boat and eventually taken to El Salvador, where they were questioned at a military base. They were later returned to Ecuador and released without charge. The US has provided no evidence that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking.
At least 178 people have been killed in US military airstrikes since the campaign began in September, according to the Washington Office on Latin America. Legal experts and rights groups say the attacks amount to extrajudicial killings, as they target civilians who pose no immediate threat. The White House insists the killings are lawful.
