JetBlue Flight and U.S. Military Tanker Narrowly Avoid Midair Collision
A recent incident involving a JetBlue flight and a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker has raised concerns about air safety in the Caribbean region. The near-collision occurred as JetBlue Flight 1112, departing from Curaçao and headed to New York City’s JFK airport, was forced to halt its ascent to avoid the military aircraft.
The pilot of the JetBlue flight reported the close call to air traffic control, stating, “We almost had a midair collision up here. They passed directly in our flight path. … They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous.” The encounter took place approximately 2 to 3 miles away from the commercial plane.
This development comes at a time when the U.S. military is intensifying its drug interdiction efforts in the Caribbean and putting pressure on Venezuela’s government. The Air Force plane, identified as an air-to-air refueler, was reportedly at the same altitude as the JetBlue aircraft before entering Venezuelan airspace.
JetBlue spokesman Derek Dombrowski commented on the event, explaining that the airline has reported the incident to federal authorities and is ready to assist in any investigation. “Our crewmembers are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations, and we appreciate our crew for promptly reporting this situation to our leadership team,” he said.
When contacted for a statement, the Pentagon directed inquiries to the Air Force, which has yet to provide a response. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has recently issued a warning to U.S. pilots to “exercise caution” in Venezuelan airspace due to heightened military activity and security concerns in the area (source).
In response to the pilot’s report, the controller acknowledged the situation, noting, “It has been outrageous with the unidentified aircraft within our air.”
The Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed additional information to this report.
