Second Near-Miss Off Venezuela Triggers FAA Alert, U.S. Inquiries

Overview

• JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao to New York halted its climb on Dec. 12 to avoid a U.S. tanker reported without an active transponder about 64 km off Venezuela.
• A Falcon 900EX en route from Aruba to Miami reported a similar close pass the next day near 26,000 feet, according to radio transmissions reviewed by CNN.
• JetBlue said it reported the incident to federal authorities and will cooperate with any investigation, praising its crew for promptly flagging the situation.
• U.S. Southern Command said it is analyzing the cases, the Pentagon acknowledged review of the latest report, and the NTSB said it is gathering information on both events.
• The FAA renewed its caution to carriers on Dec. 16 about hazards near Venezuelan airspace as some airlines adjust operations, with Copa extending its Caracas suspension to at least Jan. 15.