A JetBlue passenger flight flying from Curaçao to New York narrowly avoided a potential midair collision with a US Air Force refuelling tanker near Venezuelan airspace on Friday, prompting sharp criticism from the commercial pilot and an official report to federal authorities.

The incident involved JetBlue Flight 1112, which had just departed the Caribbean island of Curaçao and was climbing toward cruising altitude en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport. According to air traffic control recordings, the JetBlue pilot halted the aircraft’s ascent after spotting the military plane crossing directly into its flight path.

“We almost had a midair collision up here,” the pilot told air traffic control, alleging that the Air Force aircraft was flying at the same altitude and did not have its transponder turned on. “They passed directly in our flight path… It’s outrageous,” the pilot added.

The pilot estimated the military tanker passed within two to three miles of the JetBlue aircraft, well inside standard safety margins, forcing the commercial flight to level off immediately. The Air Force aircraft later headed toward Venezuelan airspace, according to the pilot’s account.

JetBlue confirmed the incident on Sunday. Spokesperson Derek Dombrowski said the airline has reported the matter to federal authorities and will cooperate with any investigation.

“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,” he said. The Pentagon referred queries to the US Air Force, which had not issued a response at the time of reporting.

The incident comes amid heightened US military activity in the Caribbean, including stepped-up drug interdiction operations and increased pressure on the Venezuelan government.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a warning urging US aircraft to exercise caution in and around Venezuelan airspace due to worsening security conditions and increased military movements.

Air traffic control recordings captured the controller acknowledging the pilot’s frustration, responding: “It has been outrageous with the unidentified aircraft within our air.”