MSN: Woman dies on Sint Maarten at Maho beach from blast from jet taking off
 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/...ast/ar-BBEkmRB

She was holding onto the fence and was thrown backward and died of her injuries. This is so sad because I know of many travelers who have done this.

I wondered how long it would take before this happened - it's taken longer than I thought.

Lawsuits, closure, etc., are predictable next steps.

I hope they don't close it down. I think it's similar to hiking trails along steep mountains; if you don't take reasonable precautions, you could fall and die. Given how many thousands of people have gone to Maho without serious injuries, I'm not sure drastic measures need to be taken.

Oh my goodness.

As someone who has never heard of this airport, how close can people get to the planes for this to happen?!

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bu4xhJAphsg/maxresdefault.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...air-france.jpg

This lady was watching a takeoff. Closer to the jet than these photos show. The runway is short. During takeoff, the plane’s tail is literally touching the fence at the right of the first photo. People stand at the fence and try to hold on. People are looking at the jet engine exhaust from half a plane length away. Those who lose their grip get blown over the guardrail and all the way to the sand beach. Those who hit their head on the concrete divider walls visible on the road might die.

LP OT request: Got any more pics of the lady in the lower left of the first photo? :D

Sure-win Darwin Ware nominee.

That is insane! Without context I would have said those pics were photoshopped for sure.

Not to be overly sensitive, but I've always hated this response. I've almost certainly done things as dumb as this, and for whatever reason didn't end up paying the ultimate price, unlike this woman.

The line between her and us is thinner than we'd like to admit.

I've stood about where the guy in the red hat is for a takeoff. You really get sandblasted. It's something you do once in your life.

That was simply a Google search, I didn't find any shots of the takeoffs. I've never been anywhere remotely near there to have my own photos.

I have been that close under landing planes at other airports. Coming straight at you, there is almost no noise, it is surprisingly silent. Then the plane goes over and you can feel the compression of the air around you between the wing and the ground. Lets you know what is holding up the plane. A second later the noise and turbulence hit. On a hot summer day it is a nice temporary kerosene scented breeze. :D

However during landing the engines are barely above idle. Standing behind a jet at full power takeoff is just nutz. Not going to be on my bucket list.

Not photoshopped. Some folks have a strange hobby: Reading the serial numbers on passing 747 tires in flight.

As someone who knows nothing about aeronautics, I am very curious why there would be no noise...?

The noise of a fanjet engine comes out the rear. When a jet is coming straight toward you landing, the engines are at almost idle and producing a fraction of their takeoff roar. As a result there is almost no noise until the jet is quite close or almost over you. The plane drops its noise behind it.

and between the road and the fence there's a railing that says "Jet Blast/Do Not Stand/Danger" (not that it stops people)

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31....b3&oe=59C799C2

While I was on the beach behind this smaller jet the blast was already plenty strong...

That's really neat, thank you!

I would assume the existence of that warning would render any potential lawsuit impossible?