St. Martin News Network - St. Maarten

TSB Rules Out Hard Landing in WestJet Gear Collapse at St. Maarten.

westjet08092025 Ottawa / Philipsburg:--- An updated report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has confirmed that the right main landing gear collapse of a WestJet Boeing 737-800 at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) on September 7, 2025, was not the result of a hard landing.
According to the TSB, a preliminary review of the aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) showed no indications of excessive landing force. The investigation has since turned its focus to a mechanical failure within the landing gear assembly.
Investigators discovered that the right gear’s aft trunnion pin had fractured — a critical component that connects the main gear to the aircraft structure. Both sections of the pin have been sent to the TSB Engineering Laboratory in Ottawa for detailed metallurgical examination.
The board also confirmed that the right main landing gear was last overhauled in 2016, and is now reviewing previous cases of aft trunnion pin fractures on other Boeing 737 aircraft to determine if this represents a broader safety concern.
The incident occurred as WestJet Flight WS2652 from Toronto was landing at St. Maarten. The right engine nacelle contacted the runway as a result of the gear collapse. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew, but the aircraft sustained significant structural damage.
The investigation remains ongoing, and a final report with findings and safety recommendations will be released once the analysis is complete.

For Background information:

Landing Gear Collapse at Princess Juliana International Airport — TSB Launches Investigation

A serious safety incident occurred on landing when a WestJet Airlines Boeing 737-800 (registration C-GWSR) touched down on Runway 10 at Princess Juliana with 157 passengers and 6 crew members aboard. During rollout, the aircraft’s right main landing gear collapsed, causing the right engine nacelle to scrape the runway surface. Thankfully, no major injuries occurred; all occupants evacuated via emergency slides, and only one minor injury was reported.

According to the official TSB investigation summary:

The occurrence occurred on 7 September 2025 during the landing phase from Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport to St. Maarten.
After touchdown, the right main gear collapsed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and came to a stop on the runway.
The evacuation proceeded via the left side of the aircraft, and only one minor injury was reported.

Key Technical Findings

An initial review of the flight data recorder data did not indicate a hard landing.
During the post-incident examination, the right gear aft trunnion pin was discovered fractured. The parts were sent to the TSB Engineering Laboratory in Ottawa for further analysis.
That landing gear assembly had been overhauled in 2016, raising questions about wear, fatigue or other structural issues.
The TSB is reviewing previous occurrences involving 737 series aft trunnion pin fractures to evaluate whether this is part of a recurring failure mode.

Investigation Process & Coordination

Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the St. Maarten Civil Aviation Authority delegated the investigation to the TSB.
The TSB deployed a team to the site and is working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and WestJet for the technical and operational aspects.
The investigation is classified as a Class 3 occurrence. Class 3 investigations focus on a small number of safety issues and may result in safety recommendations. They are typically completed within 450 days.
Safety Implications

Landing gear collapse is a significant safety event with multiple potential consequences: risk of fire from engine nacelle contact, uncontrolled evacuation, damage to runway infrastructure, and threat to other aircraft operations. The fact that the gear collapsed despite no indication of a hard landing suggests a possible fatigue or structural failure of the component, rather than a pilot error or extreme landing scenario.

The investigation into aft trunnion pin fractures of Boeing 737 aircraft could have implications across fleets worldwide. If the TSB finds a design, maintenance, or inspection oversight, recommendations could follow that affect operators, manufacturers, and regulators globally.

Impact on St. Maarten Airport Operations

Despite the collapse and damage, the incident was handled swiftly, with evacuation completed and no serious injuries reported. However:

The runway was blocked while the aircraft was removed, and damaged assemblies were documented—potentially leading to delays or cancellations for other flights.
The airport's and the operators' reputations could be affected if it becomes known that a major carrier experienced gear failure on landing.
The thoroughness of St. Maarten’s ramp inspections and gear maintenance standards may come under scrutiny by operators and insurers.

What’s Next

The TSB continues with the examination and analysis phase: testing fractured parts, reviewing maintenance history, reviewing any relevant previous occurrences, modelling loads, and evaluating inspection protocols. Once their internal review is complete, the TSB will produce a draft report, share it with interested parties (including Boeing, the carrier, and regulatory authorities), receive representations, and then publish a final report containing findings and, if warranted, safety recommendations.

For now, air-travel stakeholders — airlines, maintenance organizations, and airports — will closely watch for interim safety bulletins and updates from the TSB.

Sources: Air transportation safety investigation A25F0337.
Transportation Safety Board- Canada.

St. Maarten Men’s Physique Athlete Calvin Mardembrough Jr. Closes Out the Year With Silver Medal Finish at Caribbean Grand Prix.

calvinmardemboroughandludi09112025 Nassau, Bahamas / Philipsburg:--- St. Maarten’s own Calvin Mardembrough jr ended his 2025 competitive season on a high note, securing a 2nd place silver medal in the Masters 35+ Men’s Physique Division at the Caribbean Grand Prix held on Saturday, November 8, in Nassau, Bahamas. Mardembrough also earned a 5th-place finish in the highly competitive Open Class B, further solidifying his presence among the region’s top athletes.

Reflecting on the accomplishment, Mardembrough expressed deep gratitude for the outcome of a year defined by commitment and consistency.
“I feel blessed and content with my achievements in 2025. I spent 197 days in uninterrupted prepping,” he shared. “While this competition wasn’t originally on my list for the year, I’m happy I took this opportunity. I gained valuable experience and had the chance to interact with the show organizer, judges, and many other talented competitors.”

When asked about what comes next, Mardembrough shared that he will be taking a well-deserved recovery period before ramping up for the upcoming season.
“I’m looking forward to two months of rest and eating normally again,” he said. “After that, I’ll dive directly into my 2026 prep. My conditioning is strong, but size played a major factor in this particular show, so the focus will be on adding a bit more size.”

With another successful season behind him, Calvin Mardembrough Jr. continues to represent St. Maarten with discipline, professionalism, and pride on the international bodybuilding stage.

Where Culture Lives Survey Launches: Public Invited to Share Insights.

lemonadeculture09112025 PHILIPSBURG:--- The Where Culture Lives project is proud to announce the launch of its survey across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Statia, and St. Maarten, marking the next crucial phase in understanding how people create and experience cultural life throughout the Dutch Caribbean.
Following successful focus groups with local practitioners and key informants, the research team now invites the wider public to participate in a short but meaningful survey.
Entitled “Your Voice, Where Culture Lives,” the survey explores how arts, culture, and heritage shape life on the ABCSSS islands. By sharing their experiences, residents help show what culture means to them—and guide policymakers and institutions to support it in their communities better.
Participants will be asked about their involvement in cultural activities; accessibility to cultural spaces and funding; and the roles of government and community in preserving and promoting heritage.
Each island’s Island Coordinator will lead a small team of trained surveyors who will be present in key public locations, inviting people to complete the survey and assisting anyone who may need support or a proxy.
The survey is available digitally via a shared link in English, Papiamento, and Papiamentu and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Parents are encouraged to complete the survey for themselves and for any children under 12.
“Every song, dance, painting, and tradition keeps our islands’ culture alive. This is a unique opportunity to document, reflect, and influence how cultural life is seen, supported, and celebrated,” said Jorien Wuite. As Project Coordinator and director of Lemonade, I can emphasize that the team is happy that OCW reps. Also visited this week to envision further engagement, ownership, and landing of the research results of the project, Where Culture Lives.
To participate in the survey, follow the official link distributed by the Island coordinators and their team of surveyors, Gregory Richardson (Aruba), Sharifa Balfour (Saba), Paula Pandt-Pompier (Statia), Ashayna Nisbett (Sint Maarten,) and Lara Chirino (Bonaire). The survey will run until the first week of December 2025. The phase following the survey will involve detailed analysis and recommendations.
For further information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via WhatsApp, contact the Project principals Jorien Wuite, (721) 5202335, and Elton Villarreal, (599) 95213108.
The Where Culture Lives project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) in The Hague and on Bonaire (OCW and OCW-CG), as part of a long-term effort to strengthen cultural engagement through shared information. St. Maarten-based consultancy Lemonade B.V manages the project.

OM Warns 30 Election Candidates Over Undisclosed Donations.

~Curaçao Prosecutors Act, While Sint Maarten’s Electoral Oversight Remains Unclear~

Willemstad, Curaçao:---The Public Prosecution Service (OM) in Curaçao has issued formal warnings to 30 political candidates on party election lists after discovering that they may have failed to report campaign donations, as required by law.

The letters stem from information provided by the Electorale Raad (Electoral Council), indicating that the candidates in question had not filed their mandatory declaration of received donations—or a nil-declaration—under Article 12(2) of the Landsverordening Financiering Politieke Groeperingen (LvFPG).

In an official letter dated November 3, the OM stated:

“By failing to do so, you are now suspected of violating Articles 8, 12, 17, and 18 in conjunction with Article 21 of the Landsverordening Financiering Politieke Groeperingen (LvFPG.) Under threat of potential criminal prosecution, you are hereby given the opportunity to fulfil your obligations within one month of service of this letter.”

The issue gained public attention after former Member of Parliament Michelangelo “Low” Martines, currently in detention on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering, shared his own warning letter on social media. Martines, number three on the Kòrsou Esun Mihó (KEM) party list for the March 21, 2025, elections, lashed out at prosecutors, calling the enforcement “class justice.”

“What audacity you have to keep so many cases hidden in the drawer and then come bother me,” he wrote, criticizing the OM for allegedly ignoring major corruption cases such as the 1.2 billion-guilder Ennia affair while targeting individual politicians.

The OM’s move underscores a renewed emphasis on transparency and accountability in Curaçao’s political financing — a longstanding weak point in the Dutch Caribbean’s governance landscape.

However, across the Caribbean Sea in Sint Maarten, the situation appears less clear. More than a year after local elections, several candidates have yet to make their legally required campaign finance declarations, and it remains uncertain whether the Electoral Council of Sint Maarten has submitted the names of non-compliant candidates to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The lack of clarity raises questions about whether Sint Maarten authorities intend to follow Curaçao’s example in enforcing the political finance law. As public trust in political integrity remains fragile, observers note that consistent application of accountability measures across the Dutch Caribbean is essential to rebuilding credibility in democratic institutions.

Credits Antiillaans Dagblad. (https://antilliaansdagblad.com/nieuws-menu/curacao/31959-om-waarschuwt-30-verkiezingskandidaten)

Kadaster St. Maarten advances plans for Cables and Lines Information Center.

kadaster07112025 PHILIPSBURG:--- November 2025. Kadaster St. Maarten is moving forward with plans to establish a Cables and Lines Information Center (CLIC), a major step toward safer and more coordinated underground infrastructure management on the island.

The initiative follows recent discussions between Kadaster St. Maarten's Director, Benjamin Ortega, and senior representatives of Kadaster Netherlands, including Vincent Siegmund (Director, Operations, Services and Registration), Caroline Groot (Product Manager, KLIC), and Mathilde Molendijk (Program Manager, Caribbean Netherlands).

The meeting served as an introduction between both organisations’ management teams and focused on exchanging expertise on the Dutch KLIC system, which provides a secure national portal for digital information on cables and pipelines. Drawing on the Netherlands’ successful model and guided by international best practices such as the UK’s National Underground Asset Register, Kadaster St. Maarten aims to implement a localised version of CLIC by 2026, in close collaboration with the Ministry of VROMI.

To formalize this cooperation, Kadaster St. Maarten and various relevant stakeholders are finalising a Memorandum of Understanding outlining shared objectives for CLIC’s establishment. The agreement designates Kadaster as the official registry authority for all underground infrastructure and as the custodian of the national Base Infrastructure Ma,p the island’s single source of authoritative spatial data for planning, permitting, and development.

“The CLIC initiative will allow all utility and infrastructure stakeholders to access accurate, up-to-date information before excavation, minimising damage risks and improving coordination across the island,” said Mr. Ortega. “This is an important step toward a more digital, sustainable, and data-driven land administration system for Sint Maarten.”

The upcoming MOU also envisions enhancing data sharing between government departments, utilities, and key partners, paving the way for more integrated spatial planning and climate-resilient infrastructure management.

Further working sessions will continue into 2026 as Kadaster St. Maarten refines the system’s governance model, technical framework, and stakeholder engagement strategy ahead of full implementation.