When travelling in the Caribbean you may be tempted to stop in Maho Beach in Sint Maarten – renowned for its short runway which causes jet planes to fly astonishingly close over the heads of beachgoers as they land at Princess Juliana International Airport.
They fly so low that authorities have placed warning signs along the beach, explaining that the powerful jet engines can cause serious damage.
One family had decided to see it for themselves and had set up on the beach to watch the planes come in. Tragically, a 57-year-old woman was hit with a blast of air from the jet engines, causing her to go flying back onto the concrete footpath, hitting her head.
Three of her family members rushed with her to the hospital, however she tragically died from her injuries.
Director of the Sint Maarten Tourism Authority, Rolando Brison, told SXM that the family ‘regret the risk they took.’
Aviation expert, Peter Clark describes the dangerous conditions at Maho Beach.
‘There’s less than 50 metres from the end of the runway to the water,’ he said.
‘It would pick you up like a piece of paper.’
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