Location fuel depot at
airport being discussed
AIRPORT--The accident at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, Brazil, in which approximately 200 people were killed, triggered discussions in St. Maarten about the location of the fuel depot at the Princess Juliana International Airport. The fuel tanks are in an open area on the tarmac.
In the event a similar accident happens in St. Maarten, the consequences could be devastating. According to the initial investigation, TAM Airlines Airbus A320 pilot apparently overshot the runway and tried to take off again.
Some witnesses said they saw the plane skid across Avenida Washington Luis, a freeway adjacent to the runway, before it slammed into the building which served as a depot for TAM’s express courier service.
If something similar happens in St. Maarten, the airplane slamming into the fuel tanks is very possible.
Commissioner in charge of Airport Affairs Sarah Wescot-Williams said during Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing that discussions have been taking place on the issue. While stating that she does not have the latest update, the Commissioner informed that airport management has been carefully looking at situations that pose a potential hazard at the airport.
However, Wescot-Williams could not say whether there were specific plans to relocate the fuel depot.
Authorities in Brazil have ruled out any chance that anyone on board the airliner survived. It will be difficult to recover the bodies because of the massive destruction caused by intense fire that officials said reached 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.
The disaster has renewed lingering questions about the airport’s runways. Investigators said they will look into whether Brazilian aviation authorities rushed to reopen the airport’s recently resurfaced runway, which had been closed for several weeks for repairs.
Flight JJ3054 was arriving at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport from Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, the airline said. TAM Airlines said there were 186 people on board, including 18 TAM employees, 6 crewmembers and 162 passengers.
