SINT MAARTEN (National Times) — A WestJet Boeing 737-800 arriving from Toronto suffered a landing gear collapse during a hard landing at Princess Juliana International Airport on Sunday, triggering a dramatic emergency evacuation. The aircraft’s right main landing gear failed upon touchdown, causing the jet to skid along the runway. Airport emergency crews responded swiftly, blanketing the plane in foam and assisting passengers as they evacuated down emergency slides.
Authorities confirmed that all passengers and crew were safely evacuated to the terminal, with no injuries reported. Officials commended the prompt actions of the flight crew and ground responders, which helped prevent a potentially serious tragedy.
The airport remains temporarily closed as recovery crews work to remove the disabled aircraft and conduct a thorough inspection of the runway. The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, also issued a statement commending the “swift response” by emergency teams and assuring that “every measure is being taken to ensure that the airport resumes safe operations as soon as possible.”
