On 2 May 1970, ALM Flight 980, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9CF crashed into the ocean in bad weather killing 22 of the 57 passengers in addition to one crew member.
On 21 December 1972, a De Havilland Canada Twin Otter operated by Air Guadeloupe on behalf of Air France crashed at night into the ocean near Saint Maarten en route from Guadeloupe; all 11 passengers on board, along with both pilots, died.