Kiwi woman killed watching plane take off on Caribbean island 

Last updated 10:53, July 14 2017

A New Zealand woman who died after being knocked over by the blast from a jetliner at St Maarten in the Caribbean arrived at the island on a private boat.

The 57-year-old tourist died after being seriously injured when she was blown away by the blast from a departing Boeing 737 about 6pm on Wednesday (local time), St Maarten police said, adding that she was one of several people holding on to the airport fence watching the take-off.

123RF

The woman was holding on to the airport fence, watching the take-off before she was killed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the New Zealand High Commission in Barbados was in contact with the woman's next-of-kin and was providing consular assistance.

READ MORE:
* Maho Beach in the Caribbean, where tourists go for plane spotting and sun bathing
* Island landings: Visiting Maho Beach in St Maarten

St Maarten Tourist Bureau director of tourism Rolando Brison said he had spoken to members of the woman's family in hospital.

ALAMY

Sint Maarten is a popular destination for plane spotters, as the planes fly low over Maho Beach into the airport. (File photo)

"They are of course very distressed," Brison said.

The police noted the proximity of the runway at Princess Juliana International Airport to Maho Beach was an attraction for tourists from around the world.

"Many tourists come to the island to experience the thrills of the landing of approaching aircraft's (sic) flying low above their heads and the holding on to the airport fence and standing in the jet blast of large aircraft's taking off. Doing this is however extremely dangerous."

YOUTUBE

The fence at the end of the runway is next to the roadway, and there are a couple of low walls between it and the beach.

Brison said the dead woman's family were aware of the danger. "They regret it, it's unfortunate. They knew the danger, they just didn't think it would end this way."