The family says they regret the risk they took despite the danger signs. Ya think?

A New Zealand woman has died on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten after the blast from a powerful jet engine knocked her to the ground.

The incident happened at the famous Princess Juliana International Airport, which is just metres from the sea.

Beachgoers can walk up to the airport fence as planes take off.

Police said the 57-year-old woman had been holding on to the fence before the force of the jet engines threw her backwards, causing serious injury.

She was taken to hospital for treatment, but died later.

Danger signs
The particular stretch of beach on the Dutch island is popular with tourists, partly because the planes fly extremely low over the sand before landing.

The beginning of the runway is just 50m (160ft) from the fence on Maho beach, and about the same distance to the waterline.

There are prominent warning signs in the area instructing beachgoers not to stand near the fence because of the dangerous air blasts.

Despite the danger, a number of videos circulating online show tourists clinging to the fence to prevent being swept away - and in some cases, almost being lifted off the ground.

The island's tourism director, Rolando Brison, told the New Zealand Herald he had spoken to the family of the dead woman.

"I met with the family of the deceased this evening and 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," he said.

The newspaper also said the plane taking off was a Boeing 737, a large commercial jet. A number of local media reports said the woman struck her head on concrete when she was blown back from the fence line.

In a statement, Sint Maarten police said they visit the area daily to discourage tourists from clinging to the runway fence.

"The landing and taking off of all types and size of aircrafts at the international airport of Sint Maarten is well known world wide as major tourist attraction," police said.

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

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wom ... li=BBnbfcL

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oh well. This airport/beach is awesome. Its a bucket list destination for me.

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It would be cool as hell to watch the planes land, but only an idiot would stand behind them at takeoff.

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Watching the planes land would be great as you don't worry about jet blast when the engines are barely above idle. When they are taking off, you're a moron if you're going to stand behind that. A 747 on take-off can loft a full size car with it's exhaust.

Do you know how they tested if the TIV could survive tornadic winds? They had it drive its spikes into the ground behind a 747 and then ran the engines at full power.

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

The last thing in the world I want to see or hear is loud Ass jets taking off and landing while I'm trying to relax at a beach.

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I've been there, its pretty cool how close the planes fly to the beach. There's a beach bar right there where tourists hang out and watch the planes come in.

Didn't know it was dangerous, but I only drove by on an ATV and didn't actually stop to hang out.

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We are working on a business deal that will have me traveling to St Maarten a whole lot over the next couple years...fingers crossed.

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That's where I watched from. It is pretty intense -- towels and hats go flying 100 yards into the water, definitely could knock you over if you weren't expecting it. They do have A LOT of signs up telling people that it is dangerous, especially on that fence area where she was -- there's a fairly steep drop off to the beach and it probably is not quite as bad down there, but I didn't test it out. The bar has a big sign with the arrival and departure listing, along with the aircraft model.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

More like beachgoner.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Son of a beach, I wish I would have thought of that.

B-B-B-Beachergoer and the jets!

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although You could have went with Beachy to keep the meter clean

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I absolutely loved St. Martin/Maarten. But having worked worked right off the end of a runway in Atlanta during college, "touring" the end of one never held any allure to me.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

That's one beached whale

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.