On Friday, a JetBlue flight was diverted while en route from Curaçao to New York City’s JFK airport. Most importantly, it gave residents a recent reminder of what it narrowly avoided—a potential midair collision with a US Air Force refueling tanker. The event ultimately raised a number of concerns about air traffic security within the area. This concern is more acutely felt given Curaçao’s direct vicinity to Venezuelan airspace.
JetBlue’s flight 1112 had recently departed the tiny Caribbean nation of Curaçao. This island is located in the Caribbean Sea just east of mainland Venezuela. As the aircraft made its way toward New York, the pilot reported that a US Air Force refueling tanker crossed directly into its flight path. This double-fatality incident raised immediate alarm from the pilot in command as well as air traffic controllers observing this deadly situation on radar.
The pilot described a tense moment in the cockpit, stating, “We almost had a midair collision up here.” He further elaborated, “We just had traffic pass directly in front of us within 5 miles of us – maybe 2 or 3 miles – but it was an air-to-air refueler from the United States Air Force and he was at our altitude.” The pilot criticized the tanker for not having its transponder activated, declaring, “They passed directly in our flight path … They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous.”
The US military has greatly increased its operations in the Caribbean. They are developing airstrikes against suspected drug smugglers and putting poisonous pressure on Venezuela’s government. The heightened military presence in the region has raised concerns about potential threats to civilian air traffic safety.
In promptly notifying federal authorities after the incident, JetBlue is to be commended. To settle the wrongful death case, the airline promised to cooperate completely in any possible future investigation. Derek Dombrowski, a spokesperson for JetBlue, stated, “We have reported this incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation.” He praised the crew for their professionalism, adding, “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.”
Air traffic controllers made clear their opposition as well. One controller noted, “It has been outrageous with the unidentified aircraft within our air.”