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[Saya]

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Jet blast from a departing airplane killed a thrill-seeking tourist on a St. Maarten beach known for its views of low-flying airliners on approach.

The 57-year-old New Zealand woman vacationed on Maho beach, adjacent to Juliana International Airport, when she was knocked off her feet by a plane’s powerful wake, according to a police report posted on the 721 news site.

She was among a group of tourists who stood near a fence separating the runway from a narrow road and the beach.

The blast’s force tossed her to the ground and caused her to hit her head.

This is a famous beach that is located directly behind a runway.

 

[norm9]

Terrible if not easily preventable death by not being behind a jet airplane.

 

[Stencil]

wtf that's legal? Not that there's any question of the danger after seeing it, but I hope at least there's some kind of sign or something that explains that it's dangerous to those who don't know what to expect.

 

[Matrix XII]

I knew this would happen eventually. I always thought those people were crazy.

 

[Jive Turkey]

I can't understand why nobody seems to have ear protection. That can't possibly feel good.

 

[FyreWulff]

wtf that's legal? Not that there's any question of the danger after seeing it, but I hope at least there's some kind of sign or something that explains that it's dangerous to those who don't know what to expect.

there is

 

[Captain Fun]

I remember seeing videos of people hanging on to fences as jet engines fired up and blew them around. Kinda surprised something like this didn't happen sooner.

 

[sarcastor]

wtf that's legal? Not that there's any question of the danger after seeing it, but I hope at least there's some kind of sign or something that explains that it's dangerous to those who don't know what to expect.

Airport authorities have posted signs warning the public not to hang on the fence separating the beach from the airport.

this is almost a Darwin award. Why are there droves of people hanging out there taking videos?

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

I did this on that beach.

Was kinda fun, ended up in the water after one took off. Got peppered by sand in the process.

It's definitely a bad idea.

 

[chubigans]

I did this on that beach.

Was kinda fun, ended up in the water after one took off. Got peppered by sand in the process.

It's definitely a bad idea.

How was it sound wise? Did you have any ear plugs?

 

[Copenap]

But if it's dangerous outside of the fence then the fence clearly isn't covering a large enough area.

 

[michaelius]

Airport authorities have posted signs warning the public not to hang on the fence separating the beach from the airport.

this is almost a Darwin award. Why are there droves of people hanging out there taking videos?

Taking selfies with landing jumbo jet probably.

 

[Demoncarnotaur]

How was it sound wise? Did you have any ear plugs?

Honestly, I don't remember the sound being that bad.

But being peppered by sand kinda took all of my attention.

 

[chubigans]

Honestly, I don't remember the sound being that bad.

But being peppered by sand kinda took all of my attention.

Huh yeah I thought it would be crazy loud.

 

[Pankratous]

Never understood how this beach is even legal. It's so dangerous in every fucking way.

Ears, for one.

 

[NewGame]

Lol

'love to tan my skin and get a great complexion'

'dude did you sandblast yourself or what'

 

[Stranya]

Lol at that sign. Just close the beach, it's obviously not safe.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Lol

'love to tan my skin and get a great complexion'

'dude did you sandblast yourself or what'

I can't imagine that feels good in anyway.

 

[kyser73]

Even better than Space & Bora Bora in Ibiza!

 

[Jezbollah]

Huh yeah I thought it would be crazy loud.

If it was 20 years ago it would be - but now apart from cost of flight (fuel efficiency) etc the next thing the likes of Airbus and Boeing like to optimise on their updates and new aircraft is reducing environmental impact of engine noise. There are spots in most countries where you can get to within a few dozen metres of a jet airliner taking off. It doesnt sound half as noisy compared to say, a Top Fuel dragster doing 300mph at the end of a quarter mile run.

As the report said - the issue here was jetblast - the forces the engine produces to obtain thrust for takeoff pushing those behind it off their feet - and the tourist hit their head after falling.

 

[KingSnake]

This is a Darwin award candidate.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

I've been there. It's kind of a thrill. You can walk there from the airport entrance and hang out while you wait for your flight to leave. Typical island wait. It's fun but I'm glad i did it while young.

Sucks for her and her family. I mostly saw small planes and one or two 747s. But i was kinda chicken when the big planes landed so i didn't get too close.

I would recommend going just to watch the planes. They have a bar there and a list of planes. Everyone knows when the big ones will land and take off. St Martins is not that great tho

 

[TheGameshark]

I always go "holy shit" whenever I see footage of this airport. The people that hold on to the fence while the planes engines are going off are fucking nuts. Sad that it happened but honestly it's not that shocking.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

But if it's dangerous outside of the fence then the fence clearly isn't covering a large enough area.

There's a road, then a beach. But it's an island. They let a lot of stuff go.

 

[Syriel]

There's a road, then a beach. But it's an island. They let a lot of stuff go.

It's less than half-an-island.

It's 13 sq miles total.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Why would anyone even think this would be a thing to try even once?

 

[KHlover]

If it's not safe to be at the fence they might want to make that area inaccessible, maybe build another fence a couple meters closer to the beach?

 

[Alienfan]

Why would anyone even think this would be a thing to try even once?

With hundreds flocking their each day, and this being the first incident, it still seems safe

 

[Schryver]

Crazy. My coworker is actually there right now

 

[Marky Mark]

Crazy. My coworker is actually there right now

How old is your co worker?

 

[j_k_redtail]

That'll be the end of that, I suppose.

 

[Lil Marco]

Surprised the beach hasn't been closed down yet.

 

[perfectchaos007]

It's less than half-an-island.

It's 13 sq miles total.

Does the lower half speak dutch and the northern half of the island speak French? Its weird how the Netherlands and France split up such a small island

 

[TatteredHat]

Does the lower half speak dutch and the northern half of the island speak French? Its weird how the Netherlands and France split up such a small island

Why? We did it with Belgium as well.

 

[televator]

This situation is fucking stupid. How is this even a thing? Beach should be closed.

"Hey guys lets go stand in front a jet engine's blast and get fucking thrashed around by it."

How can this possibly sound like a good idea? Only a fucking idiot...

 

[Night.Ninja]

Stupid people do stupid things

 

[TAJ]

But if it's dangerous outside of the fence then the fence clearly isn't covering a large enough area.

You can't fence what you don't own.

 

[Kinyou]

Makes you wonder if they shouldn't fence that part of the beach, but I imagine they'd get less tourists if they did

 

[Darth Pinche]

Seriously, how hard is it to put some of these up?

Blast Deflectors.inc I am sure they have a website.

 

[FrankCanada97]

It's a shame there aren't any 747s flying there anymore, those always make for the best pictures.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

it seems there some concrete to separate the road from the beach. She likely hit her head on that.

 

[TheCochese]

Seriously, how hard is it to put some of these up?

Blast Deflectors.inc I am sure they have a website.

The planes come in so low they might hit it.

 

[Jezbollah]

The planes come in so low they might hit it.

^^ this pretty much. The end of the runway + runway length makes this structure too big for the glideslope.

 

[BobTheFork]

The planes come in so low they might hit it.

That's that? There's no way round the issue? CAn't have the plane a few feet higher or the wall a few feet lower?

Nothing?

 

[methane47]

Does the lower half speak dutch and the northern half of the island speak French? Its weird how the Netherlands and France split up such a small island

We speak english on the bottom half..

Sucks about that lady there, but there are a bunch of signs up now, and they increased the distance from the fence to the road with another fence. People are WARNED not to do it but every day people do it.

The blast isnt really all that strong either from the planes now since the Big Beast 747 stopped coming.

Sad about that lady but completely avoidable.

 

[TheCochese]

That's that? There's no way round the issue? CAn't have the plane a few feet higher or the wall a few feet lower?

Nothing?

They could just not fly there anymore. That's a way around it.

 

[foxuzamaki]

I've heard about this thing for years, always wanted to try it, I'm only 26+heavy set so I'm on the low end of risks

 

[DudeWithNoName]

If it's not safe to be at the fence they might want to make that area inaccessible, maybe build another fence a couple meters closer to the beach?

They could do that, but then some dumbass would drown at high tide wading around it and we'd be right back where we started.

 

[ClosingADoor]

It's also a question whether the authorities really care to do something about it. It is kind of a tourist attraction this way.

 

[Greddleok]

Wait, she was there out of choice? I figured this was some freak accident, not some idiotic person throwing themselves into harms way deliberately..