A New Zealand woman has died after standing too close behind an airliner taking off in Sint Maarten, part of the island of Saint Martin, in the Caribbean, according to local reports.

The 57-year-old tourist was standing with others at a fence bordering Princess Juliana International Airport, near Maho Beach - a popular activity for people seeking the thrill of a jet blast.

It is common to see onlookers hanging from the fence, despite large warning signs written in English and French.

The woman was tossed from the fence onto a concrete pavement as a Boeing 737 bound for Trinidad took off. She later died from her injuries.