CIA Conducted Secret Drone Attacks on Ecuadorian Fishing Boats
Mysterious strikes on several Ecuadorian fishing vessels near the Galapagos Islands this year were carried out as part of a secret CIA program. It is emphasized that these incidents occurred at the beginning of this year.
Consensus
- A series of mysterious drone attacks occurred on Ecuadorian fishing vessels near the Galápagос Islands in early 2026.
- The attacks involved small drones that either dropped explosives or rammed the boats.
- The operations were part of a secret CIA program authorized by the U.S. president.
- The attacks were not related to the U.S. anti-narcotics campaign initiated by Donald Trump.
- A specialized Cessna Citation Longitude reconnaissance aircraft was linked to the attacks, flying from El Salvador's Ilopango Airport.
- The aircraft flew under a U.S. registration number that was not listed in the FAA's public database.
- The registration was issued to a shell company registered to a UPS mailbox in Virginia.
- Survivors of the attacks reported being abducted by armed men speaking English, taken to El Salvador, and later returned to Ecuador without explanation.
Points of divergence
- The attacks were not connected to the U.S. campaign against drug traffickers initiated by Donald Trump. — vesti
- The attacks occurred in January 2026, and eight fishermen went missing after one such attack on the boat Fiorella. — vm
- The aircraft used in the operations was registered under a shell company linked to a UPS mailbox in Virginia. — vm
- The attacks were part of a program of 'covert actions' approved by the U.S. president, but no government or agency has claimed responsibility. — vesti
- The aircraft was used in operations during the 1980s as a base for CIA covert actions. — vm
Coverage (2 sources)
- WP reported on a secret CIA program in the Pacific — Вести
- WP: CIA conducts secret operation in Pacific Ocean where drones strike fishermen — Вечерняя Москва
Key entities
- USA
- CIA
- Pacific Ocean
- Галапагосские острова
- WP
- Moscow
- Donald Trump
- The Washington Post
- Central Intelligence Agency
- The Washington Post (WP)