FAA Cautions Pilots Over Eastern Pacific Due to Military Activities and Potential Satellite Navigation Interference

U.S. aircraft operators were advised by the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday to “exercise caution” when flying over the eastern Pacific Ocean near Mexico, Central America and parts of South America, due to “military activities” and possible satellite navigation interference.

The FAA issued the warning through multiple Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), which state that “Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flight.” The alerts will remain active for 60 days. Such notices are routinely published for regions experiencing nearby hostilities.

The notices were issued following nearly four months of operations against boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that the U.S. claimed were trafficking drugs. That campaign included 35 known strikes that killed at least 115 people, according to the Trump administration.

In November, the FAA warned all pilots to exercise caution when flying in the region due to the worsening security situation and heightened military activity.

On Jan. 3, the U.S. carried out a “large-scale strike” across Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. The target and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized and transported to New York, where they face federal drug trafficking charges.

In December, a flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curaçao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker.