Pictured: Woman who died climbing fence to watch jet land

The woman who died at a Caribbean airport after being thrown to the ground by the blast from a jet engine has been named.

New Zealander Gayleen McEwan, 57, was holidaying on the island of Saint Maarten with her husband Phill and two friends when the blast from the departing Boeing 737 sent her flying from the airport’s fence, hitting her head on concrete.

The mum-of-three, from Blenheim on New Zealand’s South Island, was the owner of Blenheim Palms Motel.

Her sister-in-law Janice McEwan told the Sydney Morning Herald that the family was trying to come to terms with the tragedy.

She said: “We’re just in shock. She was having a fantastic holiday. That’s what makes it harder, she was having a good time on holiday and then this happens.”

She added: “This just seems to be something on holiday that you do with other tourists. People do it every day. This is a freak accident.”

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Police on the island said that Mrs McEwan was one of several holidaymakers holding onto the fence to watch the jet take off from Princess Juliana International Airport at around 6pm on Wednesday.

CPR was performed at the scene, but her injuries proved to be fatal.

St Maarten tourist director, Rolando Brison, told the New Zealand Herald he had met with the woman’s family, saying: “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.

“At this time I only wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones while we continue to investigate what transpired.”

The low-flying planes are a local tourist attraction, coming within metres of the heads of tourists on the nearby Maho Beach as they leave or arriving at the airport.

Signs warn tourists of the risks, saying that jet blasts “can cause severe physical harm resulting in extreme bodily harm and/or death”.