St. Maarten Airport Beachgoer Dies From Jet Blast

[nkereina]

We were just at Maho Beach in April. We saw the infamous 747s land and it's a sight to see! As mentioned, there are signs posted all along warning of the danger of the jet blast. And seeing others doing it, the danger is visible. And frankly it's not appealing. Everyone had sand in their eyes, hats, bags, and towels were lost and blew in the water, people were falling over. We were part of a tour group that went to Maho Beach and as we were pulling up, our tour guide was adamant about the dangers of standing along the fence and told us it was prohibited. She may just have been trying to deter us, but it scared us enough to not try it.

With regard to TMZ, they are what they are. They are not network news and they don't claim to be an impartial news outlet. They've always been the site people go to for the "insider" scoop, credible rumors, and to see the photos that NBC, CNN, etc. won't show us. I agree they are gross for posting that kind of stuff, but there's a market for it and TMZ targets it.

 

[ThurlFan]

So because there has been two (only one fatal) accident, let's make a law preventing people from doing it. I know that's not what you're saying but the article said they're considering.

I think he was just observing that with such a short runway, it's amazing there have been no major landing accidents (running off the end of the runway or the like) with the larger planes that are served by the airport. The ppl on the beach are immaterial to that observation.

 

[JaxDad]

We were just at Maho Beach in April. We saw the infamous 747s land and it's a sight to see! As mentioned, there are signs posted all along warning of the danger of the jet blast. And seeing others doing it, the danger is visible. And frankly it's not appealing. Everyone had sand in their eyes, hats, bags, and towels were lost and blew in the water, people were falling over. We were part of a tour group that went to Maho Beach and as we were pulling up, our tour guide was adamant about the dangers of standing along the fence and told us it was prohibited. She may just have been trying to deter us, but it scared us enough to not try it.

With regard to TMZ, they are what they are. They are not network news and they don't claim to be an impartial news outlet. They've always been the site people go to for the "insider" scoop, credible rumors, and to see the photos that NBC, CNN, etc. won't show us. I agree they are gross for posting that kind of stuff, but there's a market for it and TMZ targets it.

Are you sure it was a 747? I understood from another article that they have not flown into that airport since last year sometime...

 

[AppleDumpling]

Wow. I had never heard about this place. It's unbelievable to me that they would have an active runway so close to a public beach. It would freak me out just being on the beach with planes flying over so low!

 

[nkereina]

Are you sure it was a 747? I understood from another article that they have not flown into that airport since last year sometime...

No idea. We saw the Air France and KLM planes land, and were told those were the largest planes that land at that airport. If they weren't 747s, they were still some big freakin planes! LOL!

 

[sam_gordon]

I think he was just observing that with such a short runway, it's amazing there have been no major landing accidents (running off the end of the runway or the like) with the larger planes that are served by the airport. The ppl on the beach are immaterial to that observation.

First, I disagree. I think he was referring to death/injury from people at the beach/hanging on to the fence.
Second, because of this accident (according to the article), officials are debating making it illegal to stand by the fence. I don't think that's needed. If someone dies in a scuba diving accident will they outlaw scuba diving? What if someone dies while paragliding? Outlaw that? Sometimes accidents happen.

 

[bcla]

I think he was just observing that with such a short runway, it's amazing there have been no major landing accidents (running off the end of the runway or the like) with the larger planes that are served by the airport. The ppl on the beach are immaterial to that observation.

Well - I was surprised at that, especially since 7500 feet is really short for a place where they had 747s fly all the way to Europe. They would want to use as much of the runway as possible, so that means the jet blast would be closer to the beach.

However, I was pretty surprised that they had no major injuries by people hanging on to the fences there. I don't know if people needed to be banned from the practice, but it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to close it off. I've done things where people have died, such as going up the cables on Half Dome or hiking up Angels Landing at Zion National Park. However, this seems like something where the payoff doesn't seem so great. The biggest danger is that the head isn't protected. Does anyone wear helmets trying this?

 

[sam_gordon]

Wow. I had never heard about this place. It's unbelievable to me that they would have an active runway so close to a public beach. It would freak me out just being on the beach with planes flying over so low!

It's actually really cool. This has been one of my bucket list items and I'm glad I got to do it.

A handful of my pics:

 

[bcla]

First, I disagree. I think he was referring to death/injury from people at the beach/hanging on to the fence.
Second, because of this accident (according to the article), officials are debating making it illegal to stand by the fence. I don't think that's needed. If someone dies in a scuba diving accident will they outlaw scuba diving? What if someone dies while paragliding? Outlaw that? Sometimes accidents happen.

I'm not for banning this. I've done my share of activities where others have died attempting the same. I'm just surprised that this is the first fatality.

 

[sam_gordon]

Does anyone wear helmets trying this?

When I was there no one did. I wore my sunglasses, took off my hat and DSLR camera (didn't want the lens getting dinged).

 

[bcla]

No idea. We saw the Air France and KLM planes land, and were told those were the largest planes that land at that airport. If they weren't 747s, they were still some big freakin planes! LOL!

Some of the two engine planes might actually have a more concentrated jet blast. The engines on a 787 or 777 (like a General Electric GE90 or GE9X) are bigger than those on a 747. So if you're right in the line of one engine it might be more powerful than from a 747.

 

[rastahomie]

Not unlike the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, if you go to a foreign land, do something that is extremely dangerous and that you are warned repeatedly not to do, and then get injured or killed, you have no one to blame but yourself.

 

[Hikergirl]

I guess I don't understand the thrill, and I wouldn't even want to go to that beach at all on my vacation to a beautiful tropical island LOL.
I grew up near an airport and we would lay in the pool as the planes went over. They were pretty low, and that is enough thrill for me. We also used to "park" at the end of the runway

I think its an incredibly stupid thing to do especially with signs all over warning you not too. Feel bad for her family.

 

[sam_gordon]

I think its an incredibly stupid thing to do especially with signs all over warning you not too.

Again, it's not as bad as it sounds. People have been doing this for DECADES. There's been ONE fatality.

 

[Hikergirl]

Again, it's not as bad as it sounds. People have been doing this for DECADES. There's been ONE fatality.

Well I guess the old saying goes, if your friends all jump off of a bridge........
If people have been doing it for decades, I guess it just shows that people aren't really getting any smarter.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well I guess the old saying goes, if your friends all jump off of a bridge........
If people have been doing it for decades, I guess it just shows that people aren't really getting any smarter.

Sigh. What about bungee jumpers? I wouldn't do it, but I'm not going to call them stupid. Same with sky divers (I might do that). How many rock climbing deaths have there been? I think there's always a couple a year in my state and we don't have high mountains. I guess those people are stupid?

 

[Hikergirl]

Sigh. What about bungee jumpers? I wouldn't do it, but I'm not going to call them stupid. Same with sky divers (I might do that). How many rock climbing deaths have there been? I think there's always a couple a year in my state and we don't have high mountains. I guess those people are stupid?

I'm sorry was this a regulated activity with safety measures put in place for the participants? I must have missed that part of the article?

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm sorry was this a regulated activity with safety measures put in place for the participants? I must have missed that part of the article?

So all the activities I mentioned are done with regulations? All scuba divers, sky divers, climbers, jet skiers, bungee jumpers, cliff divers always have safety measures in place?

I love how people are looking at a single incident (out of how many hundreds of thousands that haven't had an issue) and saying how stupid it is or implying it should be stopped. Unless it's posted elsewhere, I haven't heard any friends or family members of this girl are claiming anyone is responsible other than the girl.

 

[Sanchez]

Well I guess the old saying goes, if your friends all jump off of a bridge........
If people have been doing it for decades, I guess it just shows that people aren't really getting any smarter.

You are going to strangle those pearls. Quite the overreaction here.

 

[Hikergirl]

So all the activities I mentioned are done with regulations? All scuba divers, sky divers, climbers, jet skiers, bungee jumpers, cliff divers always have safety measures in place?

I love how people are looking at a single incident (out of how many hundreds of thousands that haven't had an issue) and saying how stupid it is or implying it should be stopped. Unless it's posted elsewhere, I haven't heard any friends or family members of this girl are claiming anyone is responsible other than the girl.

You either know there is a difference between regulated an unregulated activities and you are arguing for the sake of arguing, or you really don't understand the difference. Either way, its not really worth my time to argue or educate you.

I think every person who did or plans to do this activity is stupid. I don't think it should be illegal to do it, I think if people want to do it and risk their safety and their life its totally up to them.