Posted on 07/13/2017 8:36:18 AM PDT by EveningStar
Tourist killed by jet blast at notorious Caribbean airport
Gavin Haines
The Daily Telegraph
July 13, 2017
A tourist has died at one of the world’s most dangerous airports.More
The woman – a 57-year-old New Zealander – was reportedly watching a plane take off from the notorious Princess Juliana Airport in St Maarten when she was knocked over by the thrust from one of its engines.
A New Zealand woman has been tossed to her death by the jet blast from a plane at a Caribbean beach.More
The 57-year-old tourist was knocked over in Sint Maarten and seriously injured, dying a short time later.
Several people were apparently holding on to the airport fence by the Princess Juliana International Airport.
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The blast didn’t kill her. It just knocked her over.
What killed her is whatever her skull hit when she was knocked over.
Prolific utube videos taken at the airport. Lots of signs warning about jet blast and depending on the crowds watching, perhaps lots of examples of when to hold on and what to do and not do. Sad.
The woman and several others were reportedly holding on to an airport fence that separates the runway from the beach on the Caribbean Island.
Thrill-seeking tourists frequent the area hoping to be lifted into the air by the jet blasts as the planes take off, despite a sign warning them of the dangers.
Morons.
The people who do this are like amusement park thrill seekers.
It's sheer insanity by parents who take their little kids to the fence and participate. We decided to stand away from the area.
The people who do this are like amusement park thrill seekers.
It's sheer insanity by parents who take their little kids to the fence and participate. We decided to stand away from the area.
When I was in Goma, Zaire during the Rwanda famine I would see kids run to the back of larger aircraft as they were taxiing into position for take off. Once the engines spooled up, it would send the kids tumbling head over heels. That was their form of amusement. There were no fences and locals would be crossing the runway while we were on short final. The only thing that kept them away from our airplane as we unloaded was our own security team and the French Foreign Legion.
I’ve been there. They have large signs warning people of the dangers of jet blast, featuring illustrations of people being blown away. What’s more, the fence is of the chain-link variety, meaning that it’s hard to get a good grip on it. All you have to do is stand off to the side, and you’re in no danger whatsoever.
I’m sorry this woman died, I truly am. But the fault lies solely and entirely with the victim, and it was an entirely preventable death.
Play stupid games...
One of my kids went there for his honeymoon a few years back. Couldn’t believe the videos he took of planes landing there!!
Two pilots in blue jump suits jogged out to pilot the plane. We flew at about 90 miles per hour, between the mountain peaks. We were so low I could have shouted down to folks walking trails below.
It was then I noticed the left seat pilot had his elbow out the sliding window...
Sounds like a Darwin Award is in order.
She hit her head on concrete pavement.
The blinker was out so he was using hand signals.
That’ll do it, especially if you are thrown backwards with speed.
Note to self: If I go there to feel the blast, its best to wear a helmet.
That place is terrifying-——and people take chances.
.
The flight took about 30 minutes. We were the only Gringos on the plane.
As we approached Oaxaca, the pilot cut the engines and we floated in silently, landing, then rolling up to the airport office, a low building with a thatched roof and onyx tile on the walls.
It was a good time, but we were a week late for the Oaxaca radish festival...
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