"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. We just had traffic pass directly in front of us, within 5 miles [8km] of us maybe 2 or 3 miles [3 or 5km] but it was an air-to air refueller from the United States Air Force, and he was at our altitude, the pilot said."
"Derek Dombrowski, a spokesman for JetBlue, said on Sunday: We have reported this incident to federal authorities and will participate in any investigation. He added, Our crew members 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 agency to the Air Force for comment. The Air Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment."
JetBlue Flight 1112 from Curaçao, bound for New York's JFK, halted its climb to avoid colliding with a US Air Force aerial refuelling tanker. A recording captured the pilot reporting the tanker passed directly in the flight path without a transponder and saying "It's outrageous." The pilot reported the tanker came within two to five miles and was at the flight's altitude, forcing a climb stop, then headed into Venezuelan airspace. JetBlue reported the incident to federal authorities and said the airline will participate in any investigation. The FAA issued an advisory urging caution in Venezuelan airspace amid heightened US military activity and worsening security.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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