Name: JetBlue Flight Near Venezuela Avoids 'Midair Collision' With US Air Force Tanker
Uploaded: 2025-12-16T05:51:19.000Z
Description: A JetBlue flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curaçao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker on Friday, and the pilot blamed the military plane for crossing his path.

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

NTD Plus

News

Breaking news and in-depth analysis from the United States and beyond. We bring you the latest updates, exclusive insights, and sharp discussions on the most pressing issues. NTD Newsroom airs Monday–Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Trump Administration Appeals Tariff Refund Ruling

DOJ Announces Model Cities Initiative to Fight Crime

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

California Needs to 'Be Smarter' With Funds It Already Has: Panelists Weigh In on Primaries

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Andrew Thomas is a reporter for NTD News primarily covering business, the economy, and technology. 

Andrew Thomas

US News

Suspect Who Took 10 People Hostage in California Standoff Has Been Shot and Killed, Police Say

Canada Is Having a Technical Recession Due to Over-Regulation: Economist

‘The Clock Has Run Out’ on Iran: Geopolitical Analyst

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

Courts

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Clears Way for Alabama to Use Pro-Republican Voting Map

Will Trump’s Hilton Endorsement Be a Boost or Burden in California Governor Race? Panelists Debate

Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Explosion Not a 'Catastrophic' Setback: Aeronautics Expert

Iran Will Still Be Talking About This War '500 Years From Now': Former US Diplomat

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (June 4)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (June 3)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (June 2)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (June 1)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 27)

Full Episodes

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 25)

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (May 22)

State News

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

China News

Epoch Times Obtains Over 2,000 Unseen Tiananmen Square Photos on 37th Anniversary of the June 4th Massacre

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Trump Calls Iran's Response to Latest US Ceasefire Proposal 'Totally Unacceptable'

WASHINGTON—A JetBlue flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curaçao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker on Friday, and the pilot blamed the military plane for crossing his path.

“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the JetBlue pilot said, according to a recording of his conversation with air traffic control. “They passed directly in our flight path. ... They don’t have their transponder turned on, it’s outrageous.”

The incident involved JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao, which is just off the coast of Venezuela, en route to New York City's JFK airport. It comes as the U.S. military has stepped up its drug interdiction activities in the Caribbean and is also seeking to increase pressure on Venezuela's government.

“We just had traffic pass directly in front of us within 5 miles of us—maybe 2 or 3 miles—but it was an air-to air-refueler from the United States Air Force and he was at our altitude,” the pilot said. “We had to stop our climb.” The pilot said the Air Force plane then headed into Venezuelan air space.

Derek Dombrowski, a spokesman for JetBlue, said Sunday: “We have reported this incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation." He added, “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.”

The Pentagon referred The Associated Press to the Air Force for comment. The Air Force didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Federal Aviation Administration last month issued a warning to U.S. aircraft urging them to “exercise caution” when in Venezuelan airspace, “due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela.”

According to the air traffic recording, the controller responded to the pilot, “It has been outrageous with the unidentified aircraft within our air.”

Latest

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Americas

Management

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

JetBlue Flight Near Venezuela Avoids 'Midair Collision' With US Air Force Tanker

Kevin Hogan is an NTD News data reporter and national correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Kevin covers breaking news, as well as U.S. and global current events. He conveys the news through data visualizations and investigates pressing issues.

Kevin Hogan

Trump’s Order to Review Corporate Proxy Advisers Good for Investors: Heritage Foundation Director

German Party AfD Aligns With US Vision for Resolving War in Ukraine: MEP Petr Bystron

US Army Hosts Drone Competition in Germany

Geopolitical Strategist Unpacks Whether Freezing Russian Assets Could Provoke Putin to Continue the War

Kimberly Hayek is a reporter for The Epoch Times. She covers California news and has worked as an editor and on scene at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2019 migrant caravan crisis.

Kimberly Hayek

Illinois Becomes 12th State to Allow Medically Assisted Suicide for Terminally Ill Adults

Does MAHA Work? Reporter Shares How He Lost 65 Lbs With This Lifestyle

Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.

Tom Ozimek

Trump Says Thailand, Cambodia Agree to Cease-Fire After Calls With Leaders

NTD Newsroom Full Broadcast (Dec. 12)

Sean Marshall is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, primarily covering business and technology trends. 

Sean Marshall

Lawsuit Accuses ChatGPT of Complicity in Murder-Suicide: Analysis

Paul Greaney is an NTD news anchor and producer. Since joining the company in 2018, he has anchored the station’s flagship Evening News broadcast, launched the NTD Business show, and produced documentary reports on pointed issues. 

The highlight of Paul’s time in the field was his coverage of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2019.