JetBlue pilot narrowly avoids mid-air collision with Air Force plane near Venezuela

A JetBlue Airways pilot narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a U.S. military aircraft off the coast of Venezuela shortly after taking off Friday from the Dutch island of Curaçao in the Caribbean.

During the JetBlue aircraft’s ascent, the pilot informed air traffic controllers that they had to halt their climb after a U.S. Air Force refueling plane entered directly in front of the flight path within 5 miles.

“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the pilot told air traffic control, according to a transcript. “They passed directly in our flight path. They don’t have their transponder turned on. It’s outrageous.”

JetBlue Flight 1112 was headed for New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday.

Air traffic controllers confirmed that they could not locate the refueling plane, suggesting that the aircraft had switched off its transponder.

The JetBlue pilot told air traffic controllers that the aircraft was heading toward Venezuelan airspace.

JetBlue said the airline has reported the incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation.

“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,” JetBlue said in a written statement.

There is a Notice to Air Missions in effect throughout December in the Curaçao airspace that advises pilots to use extreme caution due to the presence of “non-identified aircraft operations.”

U.S Southern Command confirmed that it is aware of Air Force operations in the area and is investigating the incident.

The notice and Friday’s incident could be connected to the massive U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean intended to pressure the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. More than a dozen American warships, including the U.S.’ largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, have been deployed to the region in recent months.

The Air Force also has conducted airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean. The Pentagon insists the boats are involved in drug smuggling. The strikes have killed at least 80 people since September.