World News
Ecuador backs US sinking of vessels as joint anti-drug operation
Officials say boats supported traffickers, but relatives claim the detained crew members were fishermen.
The short version
- Ecuadorian officials defended a US military operation that sank three Ecuadorian vessels, describing it as a joint effort against gang-linked drug trafficking.[Al Jazeera]
- US Southern Command stated the vessels acted as floating refueling points for smugglers, while relatives of the crew argued the men were innocent fishermen.[Al Jazeera]
- The Ecuadorian navy confirmed receiving 28 detained crew members from two sunk boats in the port city of Manta.[Al Jazeera]
Key facts
- Ecuadorian officials stated that the US military interception and sinking of three Ecuadorian vessels were conducted under joint anti-drug investigations.[Al Jazeera]
- US Southern Command and Ecuador's interior minister alleged the vessels served as refueling stations for speedboats smuggling drugs toward North America on behalf of the Los Choneros gang.[Al Jazeera]
- The Ecuadorian navy received 28 crew members in Manta who were taken from two of the targeted vessels.[Al Jazeera]
- US Southern Command previously confirmed separate strikes on vessels on August 23 and August 25 that resulted in six unidentified fatalities.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Relatives of detained crew members disputed official claims, asserting the men were fishing and that US forces found no drugs on board, which has not been independently verified.[Al Jazeera]
- The precise timing and location of the video released by US Southern Command showing the boarding and destruction of a vessel remain unverified independently.[Al Jazeera]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.