❓WHAT HAPPENED: A U.S. Air Force refueling tanker failed to communicate its position, narrowly avoiding a collision with a commercial JetBlue flight.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: JetBlue Flight 1112, the U.S. Air Force, Curaçao air traffic control, U.S. Southern Command, and Venezuelan authorities.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Friday, approximately 20 minutes after JetBlue Flight 1112 departed from Curaçao, about 40 miles off Venezuela’s coast.
💬KEY QUOTE: “They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous. We almost had a midair collision up here.” – JetBlue pilot
🎯IMPACT: Federal authorities have been alerted, and investigations are underway into the U.S. military’s actions in Caribbean airspace.
A U.S. Air Force refueling tanker narrowly avoided colliding with a JetBlue passenger jet after the military aircraft failed to properly communicate its position, forcing the commercial pilot to take evasive action shortly after takeoff from Curaçao. JetBlue Flight 1112 was en route to New York when the encounter occurred roughly 20 minutes into the flight. The JetBlue pilot immediately reported the incident to air traffic control, expressing alarm over the tanker’s apparent lack of visibility on radar. “They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous. We almost had a midair collision up here,” the pilot said.
Air traffic controllers confirmed they were unable to see the tanker on their radar systems and noted that similar issues involving unidentified military aircraft had recently been reported in the area. Curaçao air traffic control subsequently warned other pilots operating in the region about the aircraft.
U.S. Southern Command acknowledged the reports and said it is reviewing what happened. “Safety remains a top priority, and we are working through the appropriate channels to assess the facts surrounding the situation,” Colonel Manny Ortiz said.
JetBlue confirmed that it has reported the incident to federal authorities and said it will cooperate fully with any investigation.
The near miss occurred amid increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean, linked to efforts targeting drug traffickers and possibly Venezuela‘s Marxist dictator, Nicolás Maduro. Recent operations have included the seizure of a stateless oil tanker, which Maduro described as an “act of piracy.” U.S. military operations in the region have also included strikes on drug-smuggling vessels, which have reportedly resulted in more than 80 deaths.
The incident adds to a growing list of recent aviation safety concerns involving both military and commercial aircraft. Earlier this year, an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. Investigators later determined that the helicopter pilot ignored critical flight instructions in the moments before the crash.
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