Helicopter illegally lands on protected reef in Yucatán

A helicopter illegally landed on the Scorpion Reef National Park in the Yucatán coast, according to a video uploaded to Youtube. Several passengers can be seen exiting the aircraft and then boarding a luxury yacht.

The video that made the rounds on social media shows the aircraft landing on the National Park and several passengers walking on the reef and then boarding a yacht, which has sparked public outrage.

The strong winds generated by the Bell 412 helicopter can be seen in the video capsizing a nearby rescue boat.

Although not yet confirmed by government officials, according to the Diario de Yucatán newspaper, the people seen in the video were federal officials who were holding a private meeting with a Mexican senator and local businessman.

The Scorpion Reef is home to the largest coral reef in the entire Gulf of Mexico. If local authorities determine that the reef suffered any damage, those responsible will be fined in accordance with Mexican wildlife laws.