WILLEMSTAD, THE HAGUE – Two near-collisions in the airspace above Curaçao have prompted the Netherlands to formally express concerns about aviation safety to the United States. The Dutch government is urging measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The issue was addressed publicly on Saturday evening in a joint statement shared on X by three outgoing Dutch ministers: Ruben Brekelmans (Defence), David van Weel (Foreign Affairs), and Robert Tieman (Infrastructure and Water Management).
According to the statement, the ministries involved are giving “specific attention” to air safety in the region following the reported incidents. The Commander of the Dutch Armed Forces has also discussed the matter directly with his American counterpart.
Spokespersons for the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs declined to comment further on the statement. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said that its officials have mainly been in contact with authorities on the islands.
Earlier, Mike Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba, and Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curaçao, reported that U.S. military aircraft are now switching on their transponders when entering the airspace over Aruba and Curaçao. This allows the aircraft to be visible on radar systems used by civil aviation authorities. The U.S. Consulate in Curaçao has confirmed this measure, which has now also been acknowledged by the Dutch cabinet.
Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire are located close to Venezuela, where tensions with the United States have been escalating. In recent weeks, a U.S. aircraft carrier has been deployed to the region, and U.S. forces have carried out operations against vessels originating from Venezuela that are suspected of drug trafficking.
The Dutch government says it will continue monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing that the safety of civil aviation in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom remains a priority amid growing geopolitical tensions in the region.