PHILIPSBURG--A number of guests made their way to Princess Juliana International Airport SXM begging for a way off St. Maarten Friday afternoon. Several patients including 60 in need of dialysis were evacuated via a special charter flight but a number of hotel guests arrived at the airport and demanded to be allowed in.
Military personnel stopped the tourists and told them that no other planes are scheduled to fly in on Friday and they should return to their hotel and wait until the airport opens for commercial flights.
One woman cried and told marine officers that she has to go back because Hurricane Jose is headed straight towards the island this Saturday.
Prime Minister William Marlin declared a state of emergency on Thursday evening and said that more troops as well as police arrived on island Friday from The Netherlands, Aruba and Curaçao.
