WestJet flight from Toronto has rough landing in St. Maarten’s airport

WestJet says a flight travelling from Toronto had a rough landing at an airport on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten on Sunday afternoon.

The airline issued a statement on its website, saying the flight WS2276 from Toronto experienced a hard landing upon arrival at Princess Juliana International Airport at around 1 p.m. ET.

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It said foam was deployed as a precaution and the plane’s slides were activated, with all passengers and crew safely evacuated and taken to the terminal.

Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company released its own statement regarding the incident. It said there were 164 people on board the WestJet Boeing 737-800, and three of them were taken for medical assessment.

The statement also said contact with the runway caused damage to the plane’s right wing and a video published online from the airport appeared to show a collapsed landing gear on the right side.

The airport said it’s working with local partners and heavy equipment providers to safely remove the aircraft from the runway. The facility will remain closed until further notice and the runway is expected to reopen by noon Monday, the airport said.

It’s warned that due to the incident, flights may be affected and all passengers should reach out to their airline directly for any changes or rescheduling.

WestJet said in its statement that it’s still awaiting confirmation of what happened to the plane, noting its teams are focused on supporting its guests and crew.

It said the airline is fully co-operating with local authorities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 7, 2025.

The Canadian Press