Environmentalists from the organization Conibio Global carried out a maritime mission at Playa Bagdad, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas—dubbed “Operation Gulf of Mexico”—as part of a series of environmental observation and documentation initiatives along the Gulf of Mexico coastline.
Environmentalist Elías Ibarra explained that the objective of the expedition is to record potential environmental impacts on marine ecosystems in a region where—according to complaints and reports documented during previous expeditions—debris allegedly associated with spaceflight material has been found along the Tamaulipas coast.
In this regard, the organization has noted in various investigations that metal fragments, plastics, and other debris consistent with rocket components have been discovered at Playa Bagdad. These items have been linked in complaints to testing activities for SpaceX’s Starship system, although no conclusive official determination regarding their origin has yet been made.
During the mission, participants reported the presence of a foreign vessel and helicopter in the area—events they interpreted as potential surveillance of their activities.
“We are approximately 300 meters away from them; we knew there would be friction, but we are within our rights—we are in our own country,” Ibarra stated during a live broadcast from their vessel.
The environmentalist asserted that this action constitutes an act of territorial and environmental defense. “We are doing this to defend our national sovereignty, marine species, and the people of Tamaulipas,” he declared.
According to their accounts, the observed vessel was identified by the participants as being linked to the U.S. Navy; however, as of now, there has been no official confirmation from Mexican authorities regarding this presence or any potential operations in the area.
To date, no government authority has issued a statement regarding the allegations raised during the mission.
Meanwhile, SpaceX recently postponed a test of its Starship rocket due to last-minute technical adjustments—an independent operation conducted as part of its flight test program. “Operation Gulf of Mexico,” explained its head, is part of a series of initiatives spearheaded by Conibio Global, focused on observing and documenting potential environmental impacts along the Tamaulipas coastline.
Source: aristeguinoticias
