Boats Sink; People Drown

Just received:

Ref: 78/2017
Date: 18 October 2017
Time: 11:30 GMT             

Israeli Naval Forces Destroy and Drown Palestinian Fishing Boat off Beir Lahia Shore

Israeli gunboats fired shells at a Palestinian fishing boat sailing within 2.5 nautical miles.  As a result, the boat was destroyed and drowned in the Sea.  The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) monitored that Israeli forces have escalated their attacks against Palestinian fishermen despite expanding the allowed fishing area from 6 to 9 nautical miles.  This proves that Israel continues its policy of targeting fishermen and their livelihoods.

As we all know, people drown and boats sink.

So, the question is;

did the copywriter make a simple English-language mistake?

or, did he/she purposefully utilize a verb which would make you think that a human being drowned?

^