FAA issues warning for flights over Eastern Pacific citing military activity
A FAA flag is displayed at the Orville Wright Federal Building which houses the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters on June, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday warned U.S. aircraft operators of potential hazards while flying over the eastern Pacific near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, citing military activity and possible satellite navigation interference.
Dig deeper:
The warning was issued in a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the FAA. They say, "Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flight."
RELATED: Multiple Americans imprisoned in Venezuela have been released, Trump administration says
The alerts are in effect for 60 days. Such notices are issued routinely in any region where there are hostilities nearby.
The backstory:
The notices come after nearly four months of U.S. military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific that the U.S. alleged were trafficking drugs. That campaign included 35 known strikes that killed at least 115 people, according to the Trump administration.
Were the strikes against Venezuela legal?
Over the weekend the Trump administation carried out strikes on Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife who are currently being held in the U.S. on drug charges. The strikes also reportedly caused the deaths of 24 Venezuelan service members according to the Associated Press. Celeste Kimotek with the Atlantic Council looks into the legality of the strikes.
In November, the FAA warned all pilots to exercise caution when flying in the airspace over Venezuela "due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity."
RELATED: US urges Americans to leave Venezuela immediately
On Jan. 3, the U.S. conducted a "large-scale strike" across Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized and transported to New York, where they face federal drug trafficking charges.
In December, a JetBlue flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curaçao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to thisr report. The information in the story comes primarily from a series of Federal Aviation Administration Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs). This storyb was reported from Los Angeles.