A JetBlue Airways flight leaving the Caribbean island of Curaçao narrowly avoided a collision with a US Air Force refueling tanker shortly after takeoff, leading the crew to halt the aircraft’s ascent to ensure safe distance.
The incident took place on December 12, 2025, and involved a JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 operating as flight B61112 from Curaçao International Airport (CUR) in Willemstad to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
According to Flightradar24, Flight B61112 took off from Curaçao at 20:38 local time and was expected to take around four hours and 23 minutes to reach New York. The transatlantic journey spans approximately 3,188 kilometers.
During the climb, when the aircraft was nearing 34,000 feet, the crew was forced to take evasive measures to keep a safe distance from a USAF KC-135R tanker aircraft that was flying at the same altitude. This maneuver allowed the JetBlue plane to proceed safely toward JFK Airport.
“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the JetBlue pilot said, according to a recording of his conversation with air traffic control, obtained by ABC News. “They passed directly in our flight path. They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous.”
The pilot reported that the US Air Force tanker passed directly in front of the JetBlue aircraft at a distance of only two to three miles and then continued toward Venezuelan airspace. The military aircraft was reportedly involved in Operation Southern Spear, a US counter-narcotics mission across the Caribbean and involving strikes and surveillance operations from sea and air.
“Our crewmembers are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations and we appreciate our crew for promptly reporting this situation to our leadership team,” Derek Dombrowski, a spokesperson for JetBlue, said in a statement after the incident.
He added that the airline has informed federal authorities about the incident and will cooperate with any investigation.
In November 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned pilots to avoid Venezuelan airspace due to a quickly escalating security situation, highlighting possible dangers to aircraft at every altitude and in all stages of flight, even while on the ground.
Officials stated that this initiative seeks to intensify pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s administration, which the US has consistently blamed for participating in narcotics trafficking and other destabilizing activity in the region.
