Sixteen fishermen from Ecuador plan to file a lawsuit against the US government, claiming that the US military attacked their vessel, La Negra Francesca Duarte II, with two armed drones in the Pacific Ocean. The lawsuit is due to be filed on Monday in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, The Guardian reports.
The plaintiffs say they were returning from a two-week fishing trip on March 17 when they were attacked about 385 nautical miles from the Ecuadorian port of Manta. According to their account, two drones exploded on board, the vessel caught fire and was completely destroyed. The lawsuit states that two crew members suffered severe burns to their legs, arms and backs.
The fishermen also claim that after the attack, they jumped into the water and boarded small lifeboats, which they used to head toward an unidentified military vessel. They say a drone monitored the boats, while military personnel in camouflage bound the men with plastic ties and placed plastic hoods over their heads.
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In the lawsuit, the fishermen seek unspecified financial compensation for the attack, as well as for the alleged kidnappings and torture. They claim that after being detained, they were taken to a detention center in El Salvador, where they spent several weeks.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Dan Kovalik, said that because of the loss of the vessel, none of the fishermen had been able to return to work and support their families.
The plaintiffs deny any connection to drug trafficking. The statement also says that Ecuadorian authorities inspected the vessel before the attack and found no drugs or crew ties to cartels. The fishermen link the attack to Operation Southern Spear, which the administration of US President Donald Trump announced in November 2025 to counter so-called narco-terrorists in the Caribbean and Pacific.
The US Department of Defense said that it does not comment on pending legal cases. Previously, the Pentagon and the US Coast Guard denied involvement in operations against Ecuadorian fishing vessels. US Southern Command said at the time that it had no information about the described incidents and that US forces operate within established legal authorities.