Temozón, Yucatán — A helicopter carrying tourists made a precautionary emergency landing Thursday near the Ek Balam archaeological site after the pilot detected mechanical problems, authorities said.
Local police, state police, and Mexican Army personnel responded to reports of a possible helicopter crash around 5 p.m. near the ancient Maya ruins. Upon arrival, officials confirmed the aircraft had not crashed but had executed an emergency landing due to a mechanical failure.
The red helicopter, registration XB-MB, is owned by HELIMAZ S.A. de C.V. and was piloted by Jaime Palomares Eric Omar. It was flying from Playa del Carmen to Chichén Itzá when the pilot noticed anomalies and decided to land as a safety precaution.
The pilot requested assistance to evacuate the tourists to the municipal seat of Temozón. Passengers included Rosario Benítez Araujo of Argentina, and Michelle Irene and Michael Adam, both U.S. citizens.
No injuries were reported, and authorities said the situation was resolved without further incident.
