On Wednesday July 12th at approximately 06.00 p.m. the Emergency Central Dispatch received the first of several phone calls reporting an incident which took place on the Beacon Hill road in the vicinity of the airport runway of the Princess Juliana International Airport.
From the reports the Central Dispatch learnt that several persons were holding on to the airport fence during the take off of a large jet aircraft. During the take off this aircraft a 57 year old female tourist from New Zealand was blown away by the jet blast and was seriously injured.
Immediately several police patrols and paramedics were directed to the scene to investigate what had taken place. On the scene paramedics encountered a female victim who was not responding very well and she was immediately taken to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further treatment. Unfortunately the victim died shortly after as a result of the injuries she sustained.
The landing and taking off of all types and size of aircrafts at the international airport of Sint Maarten is well known world wide as major tourist attraction. Many tourists come to the island to experience the thrills of the landing of approaching aircrafts flying low above their heads and the holding on to the airport fence and standing in the jet blast of large aircrafts taking off. Doing this is however extremely dangerous.
The airport authorities and other local authorities have taken all necessary measures such as the placing of signs to warn the general public not to stand in the path of the jet blast of a departing aircraft because of the danger involved. Police patrols on a daily basis visit that area during the busy hours to warn persons to stay away from that area during take off jet aircrafts.
The local authorities are urging the general public and mainly visitors to the island to adhere to the warning signs that are placed at that location to avoid serious injuries which can ultimately lead to the loss of life.