A private jet flying off the coast of Venezuela reported that it narrowly avoided a midair collision with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker on Saturday, marking the second such incident since Friday. The pilots of the Falcon 900EX, over the Caribbean en route from Aruba to Miami, alerted air traffic control in Curaçao of the close encounter around 26,000 feet.
“They were really close,” one of the pilots radioed, according to a CNN report. “We were climbing right into him.” The pilot described the other aircraft as “big,” estimating it to be similar in size to a Boeing 767 or 777.
The near-miss came just one day after JetBlue Flight 1112, traveling from Curaçao to New York’s JFK Airport, was forced to halt its climb to avoid a U.S. Air Force tanker that reportedly crossed directly in its flight path with its transponder turned off. That aircraft was also operating in international airspace near Venezuela. Both incidents are under review by U.S. Southern Command and the Pentagon. In a statement provided to CNN, Southern Command said it was “aware of the recent reporting regarding US military aircraft operations in the Caribbean and (is) currently reviewing the matter.” The National Transportation Safety Board also confirmed it is gathering information on the events.
The FAA previously issued warnings about flights in the area, citing increased military activity near Venezuela and telling U.S. airlines there could be potential threats at all altitudes. The advisory was reissued on Tuesday, cautioning that risks could extend to flights during arrival, departure, and overflight, as well as to aircraft on the ground. Following last month’s advisory, several international carriers suspended operations in and out of Venezuela.
Copa Airlines announced Tuesday that its suspension of flights to Caracas would continue through mid-January due to “operational conditions at Maiquetía International Airport.” The Dutch Safety Board, which oversees Curaçao’s airspace, confirmed it is aware of the incident involving the private jet.
