Dramatic footage has captured the moment dozens of beachgoers were blown away after standing directly behind an airplane during takeoff.
The incident occurred at the famous Maho Beach in the Caribbean territory of Sint Maarten, where planes fly just 20 metres above the heads of tourists.
Footage posted to social media shows a large MD80 Series aircraft spinning around for take off as its loud engines rumble.
Onlookers can be heard giggling as they whip their phones and ipads out, while others run towards the airport fence to get a closer look.
All of a sudden, the plane roars and a massive engine air blast sends objects and people flying.
People can be seen dropping to the ground and holding on to whatever they can find as they tumble towards the ocean along with their possessions.
The man filming can be heard saying “Damn” as he races to get out of the jet’s direct line.
“Look at all of those people’s stuff,” he laughs before panning towards the ocean where belongings can be seen floating away.
Viewers were less than impressed with many branding the risky act as “dumb” and “ignorant”.
“That’s a lot of stupid people voluntarily getting sandblasted with sand and jetfuel exhaust fumes,” commented one person.
“The experience is ferocious. The hot wind (exhaust) with sand feels like you’re getting sandblasted alive,” said one viewer who had experienced it themselves.
“I did this, and ended up with a glass shard lodged in my back. 10/10 wouldn’t recommend,” wrote another.
“The levels of stupidity in this video are unbounded,” joked a fourth.
The notorious beach spot is incredibly popular with tourists due to its proximity to the Princess Juliana International Airport.
The beginning of the runway is just 50m from the beach fence, offering aviation lovers a prime seat to a once-in-a-lifetime show.
Tourists regularly pose for videos and selfies as jumbo jets fly overhead, with the strength of the jet blast from the planes often propelling watchers into the sea, and causing clothing to be ripped from their bodies.
Despite prominent warning signs in the area instructing beachgoers not to stand near the fence, hundreds of tourists take their chances anyway.
In 2017, a New Zealand woman died after a blast from a Boeing 737 aircraft knocked her into a retaining wall where she subsequently hit her head on the concrete.
The 57-year-old had been standing at the fence that separates the beach from the runway.
The woman had been hanging onto the fence along with several others, according to local police.
In a statement, authorities acknowledged that watching planes take off and land at the airport is “well known worldwide as a major tourist attraction,” but that doing so is extremely dangerous.
Police continue to monitor the beach daily and reinforce that the risky behaviour can cause “severe physical harm and/or death.”
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