Tourist killed by blast from jet taking off next to beach
FOR most tourists on Maho Beach, the jets flying 60ft overhead provide sensational holiday snaps.
But tragedy struck when a woman was caught by the powerful blast of a Boeing 737’s revving engines, thrown to the ground and killed.
The 57-year-old was holding the chainlink fence that separates the beach from the runway on the island of Sint Maarten in the Caribbean when she was thrown off her feet and hit her head on a concrete block.
The unnamed victim was treated by paramedics at the scene – which is just 160ft from Princess Juliana International Airport – but died later in hospital from her injuries.
Despite prominent signs warning of the danger of severe injury or death, the New Zealander was one of hundreds of tourists gathered at the fence for the thrill of being buffeted with air blasted from the jet, which was heading for Trinidad.
Police on the Dutch territory make daily visits to the beach, which is popular with planespotters from around the world, to warn tourists of the dangers.
Sint Maarten police said: ‘Many tourists come to the island to experience the thrills of the landing of approaching aircraft flying low above their heads, and holding on to the airport fence and standing in the jet blast of large aircraft taking off. Doing this is, however, extremely dangerous.’
Police spokesman Ricardo Henson said dozens had been injured in recent years by the jet blasts, but Wednesday’s tragedy was the first death.
He added: ‘Many people come just for the thrill of this main attraction – and unfortunately this time someone lost their life. It’s very dangerous. It goes on all day, every day.’
Sint Maarten tourism director Rolando Brison told the New Zealand Herald: ‘We’re so sad. I met the family of the deceased, and while they recognised that what they did was wrong, through the clearly visible danger signs, they regret that risk they took turned out in the worst possible way. I only wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and lovedones while we continue to investigate what transpired.’ A YouTube video from 2012 shows several people holding on to the fence as a nearby plane begins its take-off. The footage then shows a woman being tossed away by the blast and crashing on a concrete ledge several yards behind the fence. The New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs said last night that it was following up ‘reports that a New Zealand citizen has passed away in Sint Maarten’.
‘This is extremely dangerous’