We have all seen those videos of the planes flying low into St Maarten airport. They come just metres over people sunbaking on the beach.
Across the road from the beach is the airport fence which has a barrier in front of it and signs warning people not to stand there:
These signs are regularly ignored, it seems by tourists. Some are drunk and some are sober as they stand on the road clinging to the fence as the jet exhausts blow them down.
Have a look at this video from 2 minutes 33 seconds on:
Tragically, last week Gayleen McEwan, a 57-year-old New Zealander fell and hit her head in the blast, dying shortly afterwards in hospital. The tourism director of St Maarten, Rolando Brison said the woman’s family “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”.
The Verdict
Tragic Lesson to be learned. Always obey warning signs and just because everyone else does it…
May She Rest In Peace.
too bad that people underestimate the power of the jet blast, like in this video from Phuket Airport in Thailand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI-YVuuy-Wg
I would be a shame if in the future there will be any ban from viewing area like this because some people ignore the warning.