According to reports, a JetBlue flight en route to Puerto Rico was notified by air traffic control that it was about to enter a hazardous zone. The flight initially entered a holding pattern to ensure safety.

"You are proceeding to San Juan at your own risk," air traffic controllers informed the JetBlue crew.

The risk that night in January stemmed from the explosion of SpaceX's experimental rocket, Starship, minutes after launch. The commercial jet's pilot, located north of San Juan, faced a dilemma: either fly through a potential debris field or risk fuel exhaustion over the ocean.

Two other aircraft—one operated by Iberia Airlines and another a private jet—also encountered similar predicaments. FAA records indicate both planes declared fuel emergencies and traversed a temporary no-fly zone.

Records show the three flights carried approximately 450 passengers in total, all of whom landed safely.

FAA documents reveal that the January 16 SpaceX Starship explosion posed a more severe threat to airborne flights than previously disclosed.

Following the explosion, two commercial airliners and a business jet crossed restricted debris-clearing zones due to fuel emergencies.

The documents state that hot debris from the explosion scattered across parts of the Caribbean for about 50 minutes. A collision with such debris could have caused catastrophic damage to aircraft, potentially resulting in severe destruction and passenger casualties.