Second near mid-air collision with USAF jet reported near Venezuela

Fears of mid-air collisions have grown amid the increasing U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean in what U.S. officials describe as an “anti-drug trafficking” effort.

Just days after a JetBlue plane avoided a mid-air collision with the United States Air Force (USAF) refueling tanker near Venezuelan airspace by halting its ascent, the pilot of a Falcon 900EX flight also reported a similar incident.

The Falcon 900EX was flying from Aruba to Miami and informed the air traffic control of the incident on Saturday afternoon, stating: “They were really close. We were climbing right into him.”

The pilot further revealed: “It was big, maybe a 777 (apparently referring to Boeing 777) or a 767.”

Previously, the JetBlue flight pilot called it “outrageous” stating that the refueler hasn’t turned on its transponder. The airline also informed federal authorities about the incident.

The latest now marks the second time within days that a major tragedy was averted.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already warned commercial airlines to exercise caution while flying near Venezuelan airspace.

The Pentagon is currently reviewing the JetBlue incident as the U.S. Southern Command told CNN, “We are aware of the recent incident regarding the US military aircraft operations in the Caribbean,” adding, “We are currently reviewing the matter.”