A US military jet avoided a potential mid-air collision with a passenger jet near the coast of Venezuela on Friday, according to the air traffic recordings and flight tracking data.

The incident took place due to an ongoing naval build-up of the US forces in the Caribbean after President Donald Trump announced the deployment of 7 ships and a nuclear-powered submarine to curtail narco-trafficking. Official sources reported that JetBlue Flight 1112 encountered a US Air Force refuelling tanker while travelling from Curaçao, a small island off the coast of Venezuela, to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Just twenty minutes after take-off, the airliner suddenly descended and lost altitude mid-climb, they said. The pilot of the JetBlue 1112 said, “We almost had a mid-air collision up here.”

He slammed the US Air Force pilots’ move as irresponsible, saying, “They passed directly in our flight path, and without having their transponder turned on, and it’s totally outrageous.” JetBlue spokesman Derek Dombrowski confirmed that the airline had reported the incident to the authorities.

“Our pilots and crew members are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations,” he said, adding, “The company appreciates the entire crew for reporting this situation to our leadership team.”

In response, US Southern Command spokesman Colonel Manny Ortiz said, “We are aware of the incident and are currently reviewing the matter.” He said, “The US Air Force has taken serious note of the situation and is working through the appropriate channels to assess the facts surrounding the incident.”

Since Donald Trump deployed the small naval fleet in the Caribbean, US forces have reportedly killed more than 80 people in strikes on alleged drug cartel boats. Meanwhile, the Maduro government has denied any involvement in drug trafficking and said the strikes were part of a “colonialist” plan to force regime change in the country.