Arrest Made in Balloon Littering Investigation at Coconut Grove Marina – NBC 6 South Florida

A person has been arrested after cellphone video captured what appeared to be a number of boaters popping balloons and letting the trash fall into the water near a Coconut Grove marina on Tuesday.

The video posted by MMG Outboard Division, a gaggle who says they "pleasure ourselves on defending and spreading consciousness on the beautiful waters we get to call house," was shot just after 4 p.m. at Bayshore Touchdown Marina.

Two individuals onboard the boat are seen popping balloons and letting them fall into the water.

"As we passed them and expressed our disagreement, we had been ignored and they continued popping away with no care on the planet," the group posted in their message.

Miami-Dade police have made an arrest after cellphone video surfaced of individuals on a ship popping balloons into the ocean. NBC 6's Jamie Guirola stories

Miami-Dade Police stated Wednesday night that they arrested one man and handed out nine civil citations.

The man was identified as 29-year-old David Torres-Bocanegra. He was charged with reckless disregard for the atmosphere.

“As a group, we share the accountability to protect our environment," Miami-Dade Police Director George A. Perez mentioned in a statement. "I'm extremely pleased with our Unlawful Dumping Unit, for his or her thorough investigation and swift conclusion to this case."

David Torres-Bocanegra

Tom Rivas, who rented the boat so he might propose to his girlfriend, responded to the criticisms on his Instagram tales, saying he was not accountable for the balloon popping.

"First off, I need to put my coronary heart out and say how essential it is to protect the environment," he mentioned.

Cloud Nine, an occasion planning firm, also deflected duty in an announcement on Instagram.

"Our balloon vendor adorned the boat and left. We decorated the pier, finished the proposal, and cleaned up like we always do. We're never answerable for removing balloon decorations," the statement learn in part.

Esteban Bruna, a yacht broker, shot the cellphone video.

"I was fairly upset about it, this is our bay, that is our livelihood," Bruna said. "I used to be right here once they were setting them up after which initially I did not actually suppose a lot of it however I suppose as the day was completed and they began popping away and letting them all go into the water I was shocked."

One witness stated the balloons could have been part of a wedding proposal. Bruna stated he confronted the people.

"I discussed to them,' are you guys severe, is that this something you are going to do right now?' [They] form of simply blew me off, ignored me," Bruna said. "It was horrifying to see what they were doing to the marine life and the waterways by simply dumping all of those balloons into the water."

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee mentioned balloons might be mistaken for meals by sea turtles and other marine animals, and if eaten, can lead to inner damage, hunger, and demise.

Balloon releases have been illegal in Florida since 1989.