Close Call in the Skies
A JetBlue Airways pilot had a close encounter with a U.S. military aircraft off the coast of Venezuela shortly after taking off from the Dutch island of Curaçao in the Caribbean on Friday.
As the JetBlue flight ascended, the pilot alerted air traffic controllers that they needed to stop climbing due to a U.S. Air Force refueling plane entering their flight path within five miles.
“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the pilot communicated to air traffic control, as recorded in a transcript. “They passed directly in our flight path. They don’t have their transponder turned on. It’s outrageous.”
JetBlue Flight 1112 was en route to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport at the time of the incident.
Air traffic controllers confirmed they were unable to locate the refueling plane, indicating that it likely had its transponder switched off.
The JetBlue pilot informed air traffic controllers that their aircraft was approaching Venezuelan airspace.
The airline has reported this incident to federal authorities and is prepared to cooperate with any investigations. “Our crew members are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations, and we appreciate our crew for promptly reporting this situation to our leadership team,” JetBlue stated in an official release.
A Notice to Air Missions is currently active throughout December in Curaçao airspace, advising pilots to exercise extreme caution due to reports of “non-identified aircraft operations.”
The U.S. Southern Command has acknowledged awareness of Air Force activities in the area and is looking into this incident further.
This notice and Friday’s occurrence may be linked to a significant U.S. military presence in the Caribbean aimed at exerting pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Recently, over a dozen American warships, including the USS Gerald Ford, have been deployed in this region.
The Air Force has also conducted airstrikes against boats in Caribbean waters, which officials claim are involved in drug trafficking operations. These strikes have reportedly resulted in at least 80 fatalities since September.
