WestJet Flight Gear Collapse Leads to Sint Maarten Airport Closure
The Sint Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport is currently closed following an incident on its runway involving WestJet Airlines Flight WS2276. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-8CT, encountered difficulties while landing on runway 10, having departed from Toronto.
Incident Details
- Flight Details: WestJet Flight WS2276 from Toronto experienced gear failure upon landing after a flight duration of 4 hours and 46 minutes.
- Aircraft Information: Boeing 737-800, registration C-GWSR, experienced a collapse of its right main landing gear during the touchdown.
The immediate response involved emergency services who arrived at the scene, deploying foam as a precaution. The evacuation was executed safely with all passengers and crew disembarking via the aircraft’s emergency slides and subsequently being transported to the terminal.
Impact and Response
Following the gear collapse incident, Princess Juliana International Airport has been temporarily closed. Another flight—JetBlue’s B6887 from New York JFK—had to divert to San Juan instead of arriving at its intended destination in Sint Maarten.
Official Statements
WestJet Airlines issued a statement mentioning that Flight 2276 experienced a hard landing at 17:29 UTC, which led to the failure of the right main landing gear. Similarly, the Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company acknowledged the aircraft sustained damage to one wing and confirmed no injuries occurred.
Visual Documentation
A passenger on board the flight recorded the incident, sharing footage taken from the aircraft’s right side. This has provided important visual insights into the event.
