Narrow Escape for JetBlue Flight
A JetBlue aircraft narrowly missed a mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force plane near Venezuela recently, prompting the pilot to label the incident as “outrageous.”
JetBlue Flight 1112, an Airbus A320, was flying from Curacao to New York when it almost collided with a U.S. Air Force tanker about 20 minutes into its journey, north of Curacao.
Reportedly, the tanker flew straight into the flight’s path, forcing the JetBlue crew to take evasive measures to maintain distance from it, as noted by the Aviation Safety Network.
The JetBlue pilot criticized the military aircraft for not having a functional transponder—an essential device that allows air traffic control to monitor planes. Without this, other planes can’t be detected on radar, which is quite concerning.
The pilot emphasized, “They were directly in our flight path. They haven’t turned on their transponders. That’s outrageous.” He specified that the military aircraft crossed their path around two to three miles away.
“It was a U.S. Air Force air-to-air refueling plane at our altitude. We had to stop climbing and actually descend to avoid a collision,” he added.
Air traffic control also confirmed there was no radar indication of the military plane at the time. “Yes, there’s nothing on my scope…you’re right,” acknowledged the controller.
After the incident, the pilot noticed the Air Force plane had entered Venezuelan airspace.
This event occurs as the U.S. builds its military presence in the southern Caribbean, with President Donald Trump aiming to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
A spokesperson from U.S. Southern Command acknowledged the incident, indicating they were reviewing the matter. “Military air crews are highly trained professionals who operate in accordance with established procedures and applicable airspace requirements. Safety remains our top priority,” stated Col. Emmanuel L. Ortiz.
Meanwhile, JetBlue reiterated that safety is their foremost concern, stating, “Our crew members are trained on appropriate procedures for various flight situations. We appreciate the crew members who promptly reported this situation to our leadership team.” They also mentioned that the incident had been reported to federal authorities for further investigation.
Notably, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued warnings about potentially dangerous conditions for flights near Venezuela in light of increased military activity and heightened tensions surrounding Trump’s threats against Venezuela.
