JetBlue Flight Avoids Midair Collision with US Tanker Near Venezuela

A JetBlue flight en route from Curaçao to New York City narrowly avoided a midair collision with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker on Friday near the coast of Venezuela, prompting the commercial pilot to halt his climb and criticize the military aircraft for entering his path without activating its transponder.

The incident involved JetBlue Flight 1112, which departed from Curaçao, a small Caribbean island just off Venezuela's northern coast, bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport. According to a recording of the pilot's conversation with air traffic control, the tanker passed directly in front of the jet at the same altitude, estimated at two to three miles away. "We almost had a midair collision up here," the pilot said. "They passed directly in our flight path. They don't have their transponder turned on, it's outrageous." He added that the aircraft then veered into Venezuelan airspace, forcing the JetBlue crew to interrupt their ascent to ensure safety.

The close encounter occurred amid heightened U.S. military operations in the region, where forces have intensified drug interdiction efforts in the Caribbean. These activities align with broader U.S. efforts to apply...