JetBlue flight halts climb to avoid near miss with U.S. Air Force tanker near Venezuela

A JetBlue flight departing Curaçao for New York JFK was forced to halt its climb shortly after takeoff to avoid a potential midair collision with a U.S. Air Force refuelling tanker. According to air traffic control audio, the JetBlue pilot reported that the military aircraft crossed directly into the flight path at a similar altitude, allegedly without an active transponder, prompting immediate evasive action.

The incident involved JetBlue flight B6 1112, an Airbus A320 registered N537JT, operating near Venezuelan airspace. The pilot estimated the separation at just two to three miles and stated that the Air Force tanker subsequently entered Venezuelan airspace. JetBlue confirmed it has reported the incident to federal authorities and will cooperate fully with any investigation, emphasising that the crew followed proper safety procedures.

The U.S. Air Force had not issued a response at the time of reporting. The event occurs amid increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean linked to drug interdiction efforts and heightened pressure on Venezuela’s government.