US forces have sunk Ecuadorian fishing boats in eight operations, removing crews first; Ecuador's navy rescued 10 Don Rufo fishers left adrift on 10 September. Rubio says the US may still destroy vessels; fishers deny US drug-trafficking claims.
US Southern Command said intelligence showed the Don Rufo was a gang’s “floating refuelling station” for speedboats allegedly carrying drugs; the fishers deny this. President Daniel Noboa backs the operations as joint actions. An agreement authorises joint operations and grants US military personnel involved in counter-narcotics work immunity from criminal prosecution. Ecuador’s Permanent Committee for the Defence of Human Rights estimates that more than 220 fishers have been subjected to violent boardings, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and vessel destruction in this year’s US operations.
None of the fishers remains in custody, although some still face prosecution and many have been acquitted for lack of evidence. A Southern Command spokesperson said the operations comply with US and international law, and that leaving boats intact could allow criminal networks to reuse them. Rubio said decisions are made operation by operation, depending on the threat and the boat’s location.
