Mexico City, May 27 – The Mexican Navy Secretariat (Semar) reported on Wednesday that several marines sustained injuries, none of them serious, after a “sudden flame, presumably caused by a gas accumulation,” occurred in a unit at the Benito Juárez Mexico City International Airport (AICM). The flash, which took place in a kitchen area, has been brought under control, according to a message shared by the federal agency on social media.
Incident Contained in Naval Airport Protection Unit
No images of the flash have been released so far. The limited information available in a Semar statement indicates that “no major fire was recorded, nor is there any risk to the public or adjacent facilities.” The incident occurred in the Naval Airport Protection Unit, located within the capital’s airport, which is the busiest in the country and is preparing to welcome millions of people for the World Cup, set to begin in Mexico City on June 11.
AICM Operations and World Cup Preparations
The AICM is managed by Semar through the Mexico City Airport Group. The facility, which handles over 44 million passengers annually, suffers from chronic saturation. In an attempt to alleviate congestion at the nearly century-old airport, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024) ordered the Armed Forces to construct a complementary airport. The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) was inaugurated in 2022.
With only seven million annual travelers, the new facility has barely reduced the enormous burden on the AICM. The number of landings and takeoffs was reduced from 61 to 52 per hour, and then to 44. However, in anticipation of the World Cup, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) decided in April to increase the number of operations at Mexico City International Airport to 46.
Ongoing Renovations and Passenger Complaints
Renovations at the AICM are continuing at an accelerated pace, just two weeks before the World Cup begins. Authorities assured the newspaper La Jornada this week that “the first phase” of the reforms will conclude this Saturday. However, they have not clarified what the “second phase” entails or when the work will be completed, much less if it will be ready before the tournament kicks off.
Concurrently, in recent months, travelers passing through Benito Juárez have reported, with photos and videos, the poor condition of the facilities. Images have shown corridors flooding every time heavy rain falls on the capital. AICM users have also captured other issues, such as water leaks in the bathrooms.
