Ecuador has defended recent US military operations that resulted in the sinking of three Ecuadorian vessels in the Eastern Pacific, describing the actions as part of a joint effort to disrupt maritime drug trafficking.
Ecuadorian officials said the vessels were allegedly being used as floating refuelling stations for speedboats carrying illegal drugs toward Mexico and the United States. However, relatives of several crew members have challenged the official account, saying the men were fishermen and that no narcotics were found aboard the boats. Their claims have not been independently verified.
Ecuador Says Vessels Supported Drug Trafficking
Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg said the operations were based on investigations conducted jointly with Washington. According to Ecuadorian authorities, the vessels provided fuel and logistical support to smaller boats allegedly involved in moving drugs north through the Pacific.
US Southern Command also said one of the targeted vessels was operating as a floating refuelling facility connected to the Los Choneros criminal group. American forces reportedly boarded the vessel, removed its occupants and transferred them to Ecuadorian authorities before sinking the boat.
Footage released by the US military showed personnel approaching and boarding a vessel before it was destroyed. The precise date and location shown in the footage have not been independently verified.
Families Question US Military Claims
The operation has also triggered concerns among families of the detained crew members. Relatives said some of the men were working as fishermen rather than transporting drugs.
One crew member’s wife said the men were fishing when US personnel boarded their vessel and alleged that no drugs were discovered. She also questioned why the US military had used such force. Her account has not been independently confirmed.
The Ecuadorian Navy said 28 crew members from two of the vessels reached Manta, Ecuador’s major fishing port, aboard a coastguard vessel. Another group of crew members was still returning to shore.
Relatives gathered in Manta seeking information about family members believed to have been aboard the vessels targeted during the operations.
Growing Debate Over Maritime Anti-Drug Operations
The vessel sinkings come amid a broader US campaign against suspected maritime drug-trafficking networks in the Eastern Pacific. The campaign has attracted criticism from human rights groups and concern in several Latin American countries over the use of lethal force at sea.
US Southern Command previously confirmed a strike on a low-profile vessel on August 23 that killed two people. Another strike two days later resulted in four deaths, although the identities of those killed were not publicly disclosed.
The latest incidents are therefore likely to intensify debate over how suspected drug-trafficking vessels should be intercepted, the evidence required before military action is taken, and the legal limits surrounding the use of force at sea.
