Relatives of 20 Ecuadorian fishermen said Thursday that their vessel had been found in Salvadoran waters after going missing for more than a week. The boat lost contact on March 26 after leaving Manta, Ecuador’s main fishing port. Families received word of the rescue and an audio message from one of the crew members that same day.
Jorge Chiriboga, the fishermen’s lawyer, said the men are well. “They are well and we hope they return to Ecuador soon,” he told reporters. “We never lost faith,” said Naomi Quijije, the wife and sister of two of the passengers.
The vessel, identified locally as the Don Maca, had departed Manta on March 18 with the group aboard for a routine fishing trip. Initial reports from families listed 19 people on board. The number was updated to 20 on Thursday after officials and relatives were notified of the rescue.
Families had gathered at the port captaincy in Manta in recent days to press authorities for information. The news of the crew’s safety brought immediate relief to communities in Manta, Jaramijó and nearby areas of Manabí province, where many of the fishermen live. Manta serves as Ecuador’s primary fishing hub on the Pacific coast. The port also lies along routes used by drug traffickers moving narcotics northward. Families grew concerned after the boat owner reported that planes had flown overhead while the crew worked in the area.
The United States has carried out operations in the Pacific against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, including the bombing of some boats. Those reports added to the anxiety during the search. The rescue took place roughly 700 miles north of Manta in international waters. The crew is being transferred to El Salvador for processing before authorities arrange their return to Ecuador.
This marks the second time in recent weeks that Salvadoran naval forces have assisted Ecuadorian fishermen in distress. In late March, the Salvadoran navy rescued 16 other Ecuadorian crew members whose boat, the Negra Francisca Duarte II, suffered a fire about 385 miles from Manta near the Galápagos Islands. Those men were also brought to safety in El Salvador before returning home.
Ecuadorian fishing operations in the eastern Pacific face growing risks from weather, mechanical issues and the broader security environment tied to regional drug flows. Manta’s dual role as a fishing center and transit point has drawn attention from international anti-narcotics efforts.
The Capitanía del Puerto de Manta had been coordinating with Ecuadorian naval authorities and families since contact was lost on March 26 at around 5 p.m. local time. Discrepancies had surfaced earlier between official departure records and the number of crew members reported by families and the boat owner. Those differences were resolved with Thursday’s confirmation that 20 men were safe.
Local leaders in Manabí described the outcome as a “miracle” after days of uncertainty. One family member who took part in daily gatherings at the port said the audio message confirmed the crew’s identity and condition. Authorities have not released full details on the exact circumstances that led to the loss of contact or the precise location of the rescue operation. Ecuador’s coast guard and navy continue to monitor the situation.
The crew members are expected to undergo medical checks in El Salvador before boarding arrangements are made for their trip back to Manta. Families said they will wait for the men to arrive before seeking further information about what happened at sea. The incident underscores the challenges faced by small-scale fishing fleets operating far from Ecuador’s coast. With limited satellite coverage in some zones and the vast expanse of the Pacific, such disappearances remain a recurring concern for coastal communities.
The 20 fishermen were confirmed safe and in the care of Salvadoran officials. Their return to Ecuador is anticipated in the coming days.
