A JetBlue passenger plane took evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with a US Air Force plane flying with its transponder turned off near Venezuela, a pilot has said in an air traffic control recording.
JetBlue Flight 1112 was flying to New York from the Caribbean nation of Curacao and was flying about 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela when the Airbus A320 reported encountering the air force refuelling tanker.
The air force pilot was within a few miles of the plane and at the same altitude.
The JetBlue pilot said on the recording: “We almost had a mid-air collision up here.
“They passed directly in our flight path… They don’t have their transponder turned on. It’s outrageous.”
The air force jet then entered Venezuelan airspace, the JetBlue pilot said.
A JetBlue spokesperson said the airline had reported this incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation.
They added that: “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.”
US southern command – responsible for US military operations in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean – said it was aware of the incident and reviewing the matter.
They added that: “Safety remains a top priority, and we are working through the appropriate channels to assess the facts surrounding the situation.”
Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned major airlines of a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over Venezuela and urged them to exercise caution.
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Major airlines from around the world have halted flights as tensions have worsened and US President Donald Trump has threatened to begin hitting land targets in Venezuela.
The incident follows a fatal accident between a US military helicopter and an American Airlines flight in January that left 67 dead.
That crash, which happened in the heart of Washington DC, highlighted the importance of clear communication between civil and military aircraft when operating in the same area.
US military build-up in Southern Caribbean
The close call in the Caribbean happened as the US continues its military build-up in the area as President Trump campaigns to oust Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.
The increase in US military presence includes flights by US bombers near Venezuela, the arrival of the world’s largest aircraft carrier and new agreements for US military assets to transit neighbouring countries.
On Monday, Trinidad and Tobago became the latest country to grant approval for US military aircraft to transit its airports in the coming weeks, according to the country’s foreign ministry.
All of these moves are aimed at increasing US pressure on Venezuela’s government.
Last week, US forces seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
Oil exports from Venezuela have fallen significantly since the ship’s seizure, according to shipping data and maritime sources.
Read more:
The US-Venezuela crisis explained
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The seizure followed a large US naval build-up in the region, which has seen the US launch strikes against multiple boats purported to be smuggling drugs to America over the past few months.
The legality of such moves has been questioned but has not prevented their repeated use.
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It is reported that Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado escaped with US help to the Caribbean Island of Curacao during a daring escape from her country – before arriving in Norway.
Pressed several times on whether she supported a possible US invasion of Venezuela to overthrow Nicolas Maduro, she would not commit outright but said the country has already been invaded by Russia, Iran and terrorist groups like Hezbollah.
