U.S. Southern Command is reviewing a tense midair incident in which a JetBlue passenger jet and a U.S. Air Force aircraft came dangerously close near Venezuelan airspace on Friday, according to air traffic control audio.
The near miss unfolded as the JetBlue flight was traveling from Curaçao, just off the coast of Venezuela, to New York City when the crew spotted an Air Force tanker crossing its path.
In a statement, U.S. Southern Command said military crews followed established procedures.
“Military aircrews are highly trained professionals who operate in accordance with established procedures and applicable airspace requirements,” spokesperson Col. Manny Ortiz said.
“Safety remains a top priority, and we are working through the appropriate channels to assess the facts surrounding the situation,” Ortiz added.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region, where the Trump administration has ramped up operations targeting suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific.
Air traffic control audio captures the moment the JetBlue pilot alerted controllers that the military aircraft crossed directly in front of the commercial jet during its climb.
“They passed directly in our flight path,” the pilot said. “We had to stop our climb.”
The pilot also reported that the Air Force tanker was not using its transponder, a device that allows air traffic controllers to track aircraft location and altitude through identification codes known as squawks.
“It’s outrageous,” the pilot said.
JetBlue confirmed the crew immediately reported the incident to company leadership and federal authorities.
“We have reported this incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation,” the airline said in a statement.
A U.S. official familiar with the matter said the military aircraft was operating within approved separation standards and noted that it is not unusual for military planes to fly with transponders turned off during certain operations. Squawk codes are not always required during military missions.
In some airspace, military and civilian aircraft operate simultaneously without a single agency having primary control, meaning both sides can technically be following the rules and still experience close encounters.
Southern Command said the incident remains under review as officials work to determine exactly what happened in the crowded skies near Venezuela.
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