By Staff, Agencies

Sixteen Ecuadorian fishermen who survived a US military drone attack in the Pacific Ocean have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing US forces of illegally targeting their vessel, destroying their boat, and subjecting them to kidnapping and torture.

The attack took place on March 17 as the fishermen were returning from a two-week fishing trip, approximately 385 nautical miles from the Ecuadorian port of Manta. 

According to the lawsuit, two armed drones struck their vessel, setting it ablaze and leaving two crew members with serious burns. 

The fishermen insist they had no links to drug trafficking and say Ecuadorian authorities had already inspected the vessel and found no drugs or cartel connections.

The survivors say they jumped into emergency boats before being detained by US military personnel, restrained with zip ties, and taken to a detention facility in El Salvador, where they were held for several weeks. 

Their lawsuit seeks unspecified compensation for the destruction of their vessel, injuries, detention, and alleged torture. Their lawyer, Dan Kovalik, said the fishermen remain financially and psychologically affected by the attack and have been unable to resume their work.

The strike was part of the Trump administration's Operation Southern Spear, launched in November 2025 under the stated objective of combating alleged drug trafficking networks. 

The Washington Office on Latin America estimates that up to 250 people have been killed in subsequent US military attacks on vessels, describing the strikes as extrajudicial executions due to the lack of evidence establishing that the victims were involved in trafficking.

The lawsuit argues that the attacks violated US and international law, claiming there was no armed conflict that could justify the use of military force against the fishermen. 

The Pentagon declined to comment on the pending litigation, while US Southern Command previously denied involvement in the reported incident. 

The case adds to growing legal challenges against Washington's maritime operations, including a separate lawsuit filed by families of two Trinidadian fishermen killed in a US strike.