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highplainsdem

(62,652 posts)
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 08:12 AM Yesterday

'We were terrified they were going to kill us': fishers who survived US boat strike speak

Source: Guardian

-snip-

The fishers claim drones continued to circle overhead after the blasts, leaving them fearing another strike. Mobile phone footage of the aftermath of the attack shows the terrified crew huddled at the stern of the ship, with an alarm sounding as one of them waves a white shirt. One man appears to be wiping blood from his nose.

Shortly afterwards, the crew say they were approached by a US patrol boat, and were ordered to board.

Palacios says that when onboard the patrol vessel, the crew’s phones were confiscated and most photos and videos of the attacks wiped.

Once the men were on the patrol boat, the US personnel boarded the fishing boat and stole the crew’s food and the beer, Palacios said.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/21/ecuador-us-boat-strike-survivors



Much more at the link. No paywall.
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
'We were terrified they were going to kill us': fishers who survived US boat strike speak (Original Post) highplainsdem Yesterday OP
Sounds like high seas piracy to me. Baitball Blogger Yesterday #1
Terrrorism as US foreign policy? delisen Yesterday #2
They boarded and wiped their videos from their phones. travelingthrulife Yesterday #3
Ecuador is 1,800 nautical miles from the southernmost tip of... OGBuzz Yesterday #4
When our people are caught slightlv Yesterday #5
Food and beer...where were the drugs? The tons of coke or whatever? flvegan Yesterday #6
"Fishers"? maxsolomon 22 hrs ago #7
I've twice seen fishers running across our property. Harker 22 hrs ago #8
That was my take at 1st. maxsolomon 21 hrs ago #9
See reply 10. highplainsdem 21 hrs ago #11
I figured it was acceptable usage, but aside from Bizet it sounds off to me. Harker 17 hrs ago #17
It's old usage. Matthew 4:19. "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." highplainsdem 17 hrs ago #18
It's completely proper usage. Merriam-Webster: highplainsdem 21 hrs ago #10
map riversedge 21 hrs ago #12
"They knew we were fishermen. Even the Salvadorian authorities said things had been handled very badly." riversedge 21 hrs ago #13
A lawyer representing the crew says their account pointed to serious violations of international law. "A US vessel inte riversedge 21 hrs ago #14
TY Kick 💔☮️🌻🕯️🕊️💜 Cha 19 hrs ago #15
"Wiped" the phones. Only crooks need to hide moniss 18 hrs ago #16

Baitball Blogger

(52,524 posts)
1. Sounds like high seas piracy to me.
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 08:41 AM
Yesterday

It's like America is regressing to the days when white people glorified pillage and rape.

This is the problem with history. You know that where I was born, Morgan the pirate was considered evil. Yet, in the US he's admired. At least that's the impression you get from the documentaries and movies based on his life.

delisen

(7,401 posts)
2. Terrrorism as US foreign policy?
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 09:47 AM
Yesterday

I think this campaign qualifies as state terrorism.

Is it also a form of serial killing?

travelingthrulife

(5,373 posts)
3. They boarded and wiped their videos from their phones.
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 09:55 AM
Yesterday

They know what they are doing is wrong ,but they do it anyway.

These are the jokers that pledge an oath to protect our country.

OGBuzz

(429 posts)
4. Ecuador is 1,800 nautical miles from the southernmost tip of...
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 10:59 AM
Yesterday

California. These fishing boats don't look sea worthy enough to make such a journey. This is piracy and state sponsored terrorism.

slightlv

(7,857 posts)
5. When our people are caught
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 01:13 PM
Yesterday

Stealing food and supplies it validates whats been written about the harms done to our service members. And it shows a military who are now operating under the Russian rules of fend for yourself.

flvegan

(66,386 posts)
6. Food and beer...where were the drugs? The tons of coke or whatever?
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 02:01 PM
Yesterday

They assured us that all those strikes were on drug running scum looking to literally inject fentanyl into our kids, cats and dogs.

The article states that after the boat was fired upon and then burned, that all the crew were eventually released without charges. Without charges? But...but...the fentanyl? The coke? The meth? Were we lied to again? Sounds like we've been lied to again.

Remember how we questioned if the military would carry out illegal orders? Good times.

IT'S FINE. EVERYTHING IS FINE.

Harker

(17,929 posts)
17. I figured it was acceptable usage, but aside from Bizet it sounds off to me.
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 09:12 PM
17 hrs ago

Better by far than "fisherpersons", surely.

riversedge

(81,204 posts)
13. "They knew we were fishermen. Even the Salvadorian authorities said things had been handled very badly."
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 05:38 PM
21 hrs ago

Max Granger
@_maxgranger
·
6h
A group of Ecuadorian fishermen survived a US drone strike, were detained at gunpoint, phones wiped, ship blown up, disappeared to El Salvador, then released without charge.

“They knew we were fishermen. Even the Salvadorian authorities said things had been handled very badly.”


?s=20

riversedge

(81,204 posts)
14. A lawyer representing the crew says their account pointed to serious violations of international law. "A US vessel inte
Tue Apr 21, 2026, 05:42 PM
21 hrs ago

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/apr/21/ecuador-us-boat-strike-survivors

...........A lawyer representing the crew says their account pointed to serious violations of international law.

“A US vessel intercepted them and forced them aboard. Once they were detained, their fishing boat was blown up,” said Fernando Bastias Robayo, a lawyer with the Human Rights Council (CDH). “They were arbitrarily hooded and later abandoned on the Salvadorian coast. Any apprehension followed by incommunicado detention constitutes an enforced disappearance.

“It was a form of psychological torture, not knowing what’s really going to happen to your life and having your face covered,” he adds.

Bastias Robayo said there had been no official response from either Ecuadorian or US authorities....................
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