JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao to New York JFK nearly came into contact with a U.S. Air Force air-to-air refueling tanker near Venezuela. Curaçao is just off Venezuela’s coast. And the tanker is being called an “invisible US military aircraft.”
While climbing through 33,000 feet, the JetBlue pilots reported traffic crossing directly in front of them, close enough that they halted the climb to avoid a collision. They describe it to air traffic control as “within 5 miles — maybe 2 or 3 miles” and “at our altitude.” The JetBlue pilot said the tanker did not have its transponder on. The tanker then headed into Venezuelan airspace.
JetBlue says it reported the incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation. However investigations aren’t likely going anywhere, though controllers confirmed:
- The military aircraft was at 34,000 feet
- The JetBlue aircraft halted its climb around 33,300 feet
- And the incident is considered “a near midair collision”
The incident is tied to increased military activity in the region as the U.S. puts pressure on Venezuela for regime change. The FAA had recently warned U.S. aircraft to “exercise caution” in Venezuelan airspace.
— Sir Listenalot (@SirListenalot) December 14, 2025
Ultimately this isn’t an “invisible” plane in the supernatural sense – it’s an “uncooperative target.” If an aircraft isn’t squawking (or isn’t ADS-B Out), then civilian controllers may not get an identified, altitude-tagged track. That forces everyone else to deconflict visually, which is what the JetBlue crew is complaining about.
The JetBlue Airbus A320 arrived in New York four hours later.
(HT: @crucker)
When you have an alcoholic in charge of the Pentagon making Xbox moves, what do you think is going to happen? Surprised they haven’t blown-up a cruise ship by now.
Why is the air force in the vicinity of Venezuela? Oh, yeah, for the oil and, of course, regime change.
I can understand the military plane not having a transponder on, but the military plane is described as an air force tanker (i.e. not a stealth plane), very odd that it didn’t show up on ATC’s radar.
@Mike P — Seems so. Iraq 2.0. Wag the dog. Perhaps, libertarians and progressives can unite to deny the neocons and corporate uniparty this. Or, we’re just along for the ride again.
Just for a little perspective, 1.25 million Americans have died of illicit drug use in the past 20 years, about the same number of US military deaths in all our wars going back 250 years to the Revolutionary War. And the losses are not slowing; 105,000 died in the most recent year for which we have data (2023). This excludes those who have died due to violence related to the drug trade, or to suicide related to addiction, etc. There’s room to argue how we address those how provide and profit from these deaths, including foreign governments, but no room to argue we should not address the supply side of the equation. This isn’t about oil.
Correction: 1.25 million over the last 25 years, not 20 years.
Mark F. How does that square with the pardon of a convicted cartel head and the fact that fentanyl, from China, NOT Venezuela, is the primary OD problem? It doesn’t. MAGA will defend anything dear leader tells them to. Blow up boats not a threat, murder the survivors, no problem..history will not be kind
If this wretched administration of gangsters is truly intent on regime change in Venezuela, may it be America’s next Vietnam. It will be a sight to see its military plucked off the rooftops of Caracas buildings a-la fall of Saigon.
As to the incident with the B6 plane, the US military is 100% at fault and putting everyone’s lives at risk.
Venezuela has nothing to worry about – the US is just conducting a Special Operation. No reason for Putin to worry about his buddy Maduro.