2 hours ago
2
A JetBlue formation from the tiny Caribbean federation of Curaçao halted its ascent to debar colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker connected Friday, and the aviator blamed the subject level for crossing his path, according to a signaling of the pilot's speech with aerial postulation control.
"We astir had a midair collision up here," the JetBlue aviator said connected the recording. "They passed straight successful our formation path. ... They don't person their transponder turned on, it's outrageous."
The incidental progressive JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao, which is conscionable disconnected the seashore of Venezuela, en way to New York City's JFK airport. It comes arsenic the U.S. subject has stepped up its cause interdiction activities successful the Caribbean and is besides seeking to increase unit connected Venezuela's government.
"We conscionable had postulation walk straight successful beforehand of america wrong 5 miles of america — possibly 2 oregon 3 miles — but it was an air-to air-refueler from the United States Air Force and helium was astatine our altitude," the aviator said. "We had to halt our climb." The aviator said the Air Force level past headed into Venezuelan aerial space.
Derek Dombrowski, a spokesperson for JetBlue, said Sunday: "We person reported this incidental to national authorities and volition enactment successful immoderate investigation." He added, "Our crewmembers are trained connected due procedures for assorted formation situations, and we admit our unit for promptly reporting this concern to our enactment team."
The Pentagon referred The Associated Press to the Air Force for comment. The Air Force didn't instantly respond to a petition for comment.
The Federal Aviation Administration last period issued a warning to U.S. craft urging them to "exercise caution" erstwhile successful Venezuelan airspace, "due to the worsening information concern and heightened subject enactment successful oregon astir Venezuela."
According to the aerial postulation recording, the controller responded to the pilot, "It has been outrageous with the unidentified craft wrong our air."
English (US) ·