US EditionJetBlue Flight Near Venezuela Avoids ‘Midair Collision’ with US Air Force Tanker
JetBlue Flight 1112 halted ascent to avoid a near-miss with a U.S. Air Force tanker lacking a transponder, passing 2-5 miles ahead, amid increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean.
- On Friday, JetBlue Flight 2 halted its ascent after a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker crossed its path at the same altitude, the pilot said.
- U.S. military activity in the Caribbean has intensified as drug interdiction operations increase pressure on Venezuela's government, while the JetBlue flight departed Curaçao en route to New York City's JFK airport.
- Recorded exchanges detail the proximity as within five miles, maybe two or three miles, with the JetBlue pilot saying, `We almost had a midair collision up here` near a U.S. Air Force air-to-air refueler.
- Derek Dombrowski, JetBlue spokesman, said Sunday the airline reported the incident to federal authorities and will cooperate with any investigation, while the Pentagon referred inquiries to the U.S. Air Force, which did not immediately respond.
- The FAA last month warned U.S. aircraft to exercise caution in Venezuelan airspace due to heightened military activity, and an air traffic controller said, `It has been outrageous with the unidentified aircraft within our air.
147 Articles
147 Articles
The airline JetBlue reported to the U.S. authorities an alleged incident that the pilot of one of its flights lived last week, when he was close to colliding with a U.S. Air Force tanker plane near Venezuela. The U.S. has assembled a large flotilla of warships in the Caribbean and has repeatedly flown over the coast of Venezuela in its offensive against what he calls "narco-terrorists." "We almost had a collision in full flight up there," said t…
JetBlue plane near Venezuela avoids midair collision with Air Force aircraft
An Air Force plane headed into Venezuelan airspace narrowly avoided a collision with a JetBlue flight over the weekend. The JetBlue pilot, who was manning a flight from the Caribbean nation of Curaçao, blamed the Friday incident on his American counterpart. The JetBlue plane was climbing after takeoff when the U.S. military aircraft entered its flight path, according to the airline and air traffic controller recordings. “We just had traffic pass…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
