JetBlue flight avoids collision with US Air Force tanker near Curaçao

December 17, 2025 at 12:00 AM•2 min read

JetBlue Flight 1112 aborted its ascent near Curaçao to avoid a US Air Force tanker allegedly operating without an active transponder.

Key Points

1JetBlue Flight 1112 was forced to abruptly stop its climb after takeoff from Curaçao to avoid a collision with a US Air Force refueling tanker on December 12.
2The JetBlue pilot reported that the military aircraft passed within 2-5 miles of the commercial jet and was allegedly operating without an active transponder, posing a severe safety risk.
3The incident occurred in airspace near Venezuela, a region where the US FAA had previously warned commercial aircraft to exercise caution due to heightened military activity.
4JetBlue has reported the near-miss to federal authorities and pledged full cooperation in the investigation, while the US Air Force has not yet commented on the alleged transponder failure.

A JetBlue Airbus aircraft operating Flight 1112 from Curaçao (CUR) to New York JFK narrowly avoided a midair collision on December 12 after its crew was forced to halt the ascent to prevent impact with a US Air Force refueling tanker. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff near the coast of Venezuela. According to air traffic control (ATC) recordings, the JetBlue pilot reported that the military aircraft passed within two to five miles of the commercial jet at the same altitude, accusing the tanker of operating without an active transponder. The pilot described the encounter as "outrageous" and noted the tanker subsequently headed toward Venezuelan airspace.

JetBlue confirmed the near-miss, stating the incident has been reported to federal authorities, and the airline will participate in any subsequent investigation. The incident occurs amid heightened US military drug interdiction activities in the Caribbean and increased pressure on the Venezuelan government. The US FAA had previously issued a warning in November advising US aircraft to exercise extreme caution in Venezuelan airspace due to increased military activity and security concerns, a context underscored by the ATC controller's recorded comment about "outrageous" unidentified aircraft in the area. The Air Force has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.