Twenty-Eight Crew Members Reach Manta After Maritime Operation With U.S. Units

Twenty-eight crew members reached the port of Manta after Ecuador’s Navy coordinated their return with operations involving United States units. The formal disembarkation took place at 3 p.m. on Sept. 4, 2026, according to the naval force.

Nine of those brought ashore had been aboard the Conquista II, while 19 were associated with the vessel OM2. Once they entered the port facilities, the competent authorities began the legal protocols required under Ecuadorian regulations.

The Navy said the transfer followed coordination that began on Sept. 3. Its social communication directorate reported that, in the context of operations conducted by U.S. units, Ecuador arranged to receive the nine Conquista II crew members and the 19 from OM2 and transport them to the Ecuadorian coast by coast guard boat.

Another eight crew members from Conquista II were still sailing back to port aboard a separate vessel. Their return followed earlier reports that some occupants remained at sea in their respective boats.

According to official versions from the U.S. Southern Command, supported by Ecuador, Conquista II and OM2 were destroyed after being identified as floating fuel-supply stations. Military reports said the platforms helped facilitate drug-trafficking operations linked to Los Choneros, a group classified as terrorist in both jurisdictions.

Relatives gathered outside the Port Captaincy to reject any links to criminal networks, insist that the crew worked as fishermen, and demand information about their legal and physical status. The case follows a complaint over the sinking of the Tres Hermanos on Aug. 28 after intervention by U.S. ships, as well as the disappearance earlier in the year of eight fishermen aboard the Fiorella.