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2025 air travel is off to a deadly start with four plane crashes

Footage from Mark Fitzpatrick shows the plane lying upside down, and emergency services responding. (Credit: Mark Fitzpatrick via Storyful)

2025 has seen four major plane crashes in recent weeks.

The four incidents have occurred in Toronto, Alaska, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Of those crashes, three resulted in fatalities, according to reports.

Different operators were involved in each of the incidents.

Delta Connection Flight 4819

First responders work at the Delta Air Lines plane crash site at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on Feb. 17, 2025. (REUTERS/Arlyn McAdorey)

Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 crash-landed Monday at the Toronto Pearson International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and the airline.

Video of the incident captured the plane rolling upside down during the crash and continuing to slide down the runway.

The flight, operated by Delta’s regional subsidiary, Endeavor Air, had 76 passengers and four crew on board the CRJ-900 at the time of the incident.

There were no fatalities in the crash. However, 21 travelers on the plane at the time were taken to the hospital, all but three of which have since been released, according to a Tuesday morning update from Delta.

DELTA CEO STATEMENT ON TORONTO CRASH, FOOTAGE OBTAINED

“Our most pressing priority remains taking care of all customers and Endeavor crew members who were involved. We’ll do everything we can to support them and their families in the days ahead, and I know the hearts, thoughts and prayers of the entire Delta community are with them,” CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement.

The FAA said Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is heading up an investigation into the crash.

Bering Air Flight 445

The Coast Guard located missing Bering Air Flight 445 on Feb. 7 after it crashed nearly three dozen miles southwest of Nome, Alaska.

The plane had disappeared the previous day while traveling to the Nome Airport from the Unalakleet Airport, FOX Weather reported.

The 10 people on the plane died in the crash, according to officials.

“The tragic accident that occurred on February 6, 2025, has shaken us all to our core,” Bering Air said in a statement on its website. “This has been an unprecedented event for both our team and our customers, and we are truly heartbroken by the loss.”

“Our hearts are with all those affected by this heartbreaking event, and we extend our most sincere condolences, thoughts, and prayers to everyone involved. We will continue to honor and remember those we’ve lost, and we remain steadfast in our dedication to serving the public with the utmost care and compassion.”

Medical transport jet

Police and fire vehicles are seen at the site of the medical plane crash in Philadelphia on Feb. 2, 2025. (Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The deadly crash of a Learjet 55, which was serving as medical transport, occurred in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, according to the FAA.

A pediatric patient, her mother and four crew members were on the plane when it crashed shortly after departing Northeast Philadelphia Airport, all six of whom died, the city of Philadelphia said in a press release. Shriner’s Children’s said the patient had received treatment at its hospital.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF THE PHILADELPHIA CRASH

A motorist on the ground also died, the city said.

“We are devastated by the tragic loss of life and my thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as each person injured by this terrible tragedy,” Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a Feb. 1 statement.

Two dozen people on the ground sustained injuries due to the crash.

It also caused heavy fire at some homes and vehicles, the city said.

American Eagle Flight 5342

Emergency response units search the crash site of an American Airlines plane in the Potomac River on Jan. 30, 2025, after the plane crashed the previous night while on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The midair collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter on Jan. 29 left all the plane’s 64 passengers and crew and the helicopter’s three personnel dead.

American Airlines’ subsidiary PSA Airlines was operating the flight. It was “on approach to Runway 33” at the Washington, D.C.-area’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at the time of the collision, according to the FAA.

PLANE CRASH IN DC: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED

Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines, called the crash “a devastating day for our American Airlines family” and said it “weighs heavily on our airline, the industry and the world.”

Salvage crews had largely removed the wreckage of both aircraft from the water as of early February, according to NBC Washington.

February 18, 2025
Chinese navy helicopter flies within 10 feet of Philippine patrol plane over disputed shoal

A Chinese navy helicopter flew within 10 feet (3 meters) of a Philippine patrol plane on Tuesday in a disputed area of the South China Sea, prompting the Filipino pilot to warn by radio: “You are flying too close, you are very dangerous.”

The Chinese helicopter was attempting to force a Cessna Caravan turboprop plane belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources out of what China claims is its airspace over the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines.

US FLIES JOINT PATROL WITH THE PHILIPPINES NEAR SHOAL REGION GUARDED BY CHINA

An Associated Press journalist and other invited foreign media on the plane witnessed the tense 30-minute standoff as the Philippine plane pressed on with its low-altitude patrol around Scarborough with the Chinese navy helicopter hovering close above it or flying to its left in cloudy weather.

“You are flying too close, you are very dangerous and endangering the lives of our crew and passengers,” the Philippine pilot told the Chinese navy helicopter by radio at one point. “Keep away and distance your aircraft from us, you are violating the safety standard set by FAA and ICAO.”

The pilot was referring to the standard distance between aircraft required by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization to prevent air disasters.

There was no sign that the Philippine plane had to alter its planned path and altitude to avoid a collision.

A Chinese military helicopter flies close to a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic (BFAR) aircraft above Scarborough shoal on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Joeal Calupitan)

The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries said in a statement that they remain “committed to asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, despite the aggressive and escalatory actions of China.”

They referred to the Philippine name for the stretch of waters in the South China Sea closer to the Philippines’ western coast.

The Chinese military, referring to Scarborough Shoal by its Chinese name, said the plane had “illegally entered the airspace of China’s Huangyan Island without the Chinese government’s permission.”

The Chinese Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to track and warn the plane away, Senior Col. Tian Junli, spokesperson for the command, said in a written statement posted online.

The Philippines “confused right and wrong and spread false narratives,” the statement said.

Tuesday’s encounter, which is expected to be protested by the Philippine government, is the latest flashpoint in a decades-long territorial standoff in one of the world’s busiest trade routes, which involves China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan .

Confrontations on the high seas have spiked between Chinese and Philippine coast guards in the last two years at Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoal, where a grounded Philippine navy ship has served as a military territorial outpost since 1999 but has since been closely surrounded by Chinese coast guard, navy and other ships.

China deployed its naval force around Scarborough after a tense standoff with Philippine ships in 2012.

The following year, the Philippines brought its disputes with China to international arbitration. A 2016 decision by a United Nations-backed arbitration panel invalidated China’s expansive claim in the South China Sea based on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China, a signatory to the UNCLOS like the Philippines, refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected its outcome and continues to defy it.

Faced by China’s military might, the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has resorted to a shame campaign — embedding Philippine and foreign journalists in its sea and air patrols in a bid to expose Beijing’s increasingly assertive actions.

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The Philippines has also been strengthening its security alliances with the United States, Japan, Australian, France, Canada, the European Union and other Western countries to shore up its external defense.

The United States says it’s obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China has warned the U.S. and its allies not to meddle in what it calls a purely Asian dispute.

February 18, 2025
Delta plane crash in Toronto: All 80 aboard survive, 3 critically injured

The dramatic, up-side-down Delta plane crash at Toronto’s Pearson Airport marked the fourth major aviation disaster in North America in the last month.

The Federal Aviation Administration said all 80 people aboard the jet were evacuated, as images showed the aircraft with a shewn off tail and wing belly up in the snow at Toronto’s airport.

The CRJ-900, which departed from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, overturned while coming in for a landing in Toronto. High winds and drifting snow reportedly had already prompted flight delays and cancelations at the airport.

Air traffic control audio released after the crash depicts officials describing how the plane was “ups-side-down and burning” on the tarmac.

TORONTO PLANE CRASH TIMELINE: DELTA FLIGHT FROM MINNEAPOLIS FLIPS UPSIDE DOWN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND

An aircraft from Delta Airlines sits upside down on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International airport, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (Teresa Barbieri/The Canadian Press via AP)

Delta Air Lines said “18 customers with injuries” had been transported to area hospitals. At least three people suffered critical but not life-threatening injuries, a spokesperson for the paramedic service that was on scene told Fox News Digital.

In the airline’s most recent update, which was provided at 10:33 p.m. ET, Delta Air Lines said that “no fatalities have been reported and some of the customers initially transported to area hospitals have been released.”

Two patients were taken by air ambulance to two different trauma centers – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and St. Michael’s Hospital – in Toronto. A child, about four years old, was transported to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, as officials are expected to provide an update to the media early Tuesday.

“The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates,” the FAA said.

Delta said its incident response team deployed to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) Monday evening, “to support efforts surrounding Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, that was involved in a single-aircraft accident at YYZ around 2:15 p.m. ET.” The team is said to include “specially trained Delta Care Team representatives who will provide support for customers and their loved ones.”

Toronto’s SickKids hospital, where one young Delta Airlines passengers was transported to be treated for injuries after the plane flipped over on the runway at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, is seen in downtown Toronto, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/John Wawrow)

“Members of Endeavor Air’s leadership team, including CEO Jim Graham, are also en route to ensure full cooperation with investigators,” Delta said Monday night.

“The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement. “I want to express my thanks to the many Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on site. We are working to confirm the details and will share the most current information on news.delta.com as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, please take care and stay safe.”

PLANE CRASHES SPARK RENEWED FEAR OF FLYING: 10 CAUSES OF AVIATION DISASTERS

In a Monday afternoon X post, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, said he was “in touch with Delta after a flight taking off from MSP crash landed in Toronto this afternoon.”

“Grateful to the first responders and professionals on the scene,” he wrote.

“Thinking of those on the Delta flight that left Minneapolis and crash landed in Toronto,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., wrote. “Thankful for all the first responders and those on the plane who worked to get everyone to safety and those injured to care. We must get to the bottom of what happened.”

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., said she and her staff “are closely monitoring this situation and gathering information.”

DELTA flight 4819 from Minneapolis is seen overturned on the runway after crashing while landing at Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Toronto, Canada on Feb. 17, 2025. (Mert Alper Dervis /Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Thank you to all the emergency response teams helping. My thoughts are with everyone on board and their loved ones,” Smith wrote on X.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said he and his wife “are praying for the passengers and crew who were aboard Flight 4819 and are pleased to see initial reports that no lives have been lost.”

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., said she was “closely monitoring the situation in Toronto and keeping all those on board in my thoughts.”

“I am praying for those involved and will continue to monitor this situation as details emerge,” Rep. Pete Stauber, R- Minn., said. “I am incredibly grateful for the quick response of the first responders on the ground!”

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The Trump administration has promised a thorough review and update of air traffic control systems nationwide after a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight about to land at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29 killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft. It was the United States’ deadliest aviation disaster since 2001.

Other recent aviation disasters in North America include a small commuter plane on its way to Nome, Alaska, that crashed on Feb. 6, killing the pilot and nine passengers. Additionally, a medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Jan. 31, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.

Fox News Digital’s Sarah Rumpf-Whitten and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on X: @danimwallace.

February 18, 2025
Toronto Pearson Airport suffers plane crash, according to reports

Canadian officials say that there was a plane crash at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon.

The plane crash, which involved a Delta flight from Minneapolis to Toronto, was first reported by CTV. Peel Regional Police says that it is investigating the number of potential injuries, which are unknown as of now.

Pictures across social media show the plane upside down on a snow-covered runway. Toronto Pearson confirmed the crash on X.

“Toronto Pearson is aware of an incident upon landing involving a Delta Airlines plane arriving from Minneapolis,” the airport’s post read. “Emergency teams are responding.”

The airport added that all of the plane’s passengers and crew “are accounted for.”

Authorities are actively investigating the scene.

HARROWING VIDEO FROM MILITARY BASE SHOWS NEW ANGLE OF MIDAIR CRASH CATASTROPHE

Air traffic control tower at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on a sunny day. (iStock)

Reuters contributed to this report. This is a developing story.

Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to [email protected].

February 17, 2025
Swalwell faces social media backlash for post tying Trump to Georgia small plane crash

Rep. Eric Swallwell, D-Calif., is facing backlash online after suggesting President Donald Trump is to blame for a small plane crash in Georgia this weekend.

Swallwell took to social media Monday morning to declare that Trump has had “more planes crash” in his first month in office than any other U.S. president. The lawmaker made the comment in reaction to a small private plane crash that took place this weekend in Covington, Georgia, which left two people dead.

Social media users began to pile on immediately, calling out Swallwell for what they saw as an unfair connection to Trump.

“Are you suggesting the catalysts for those crashes were all caused by policies changed in the last month?” one user wrote.

HARROWING VIDEO FROM MILITARY BASE SHOWS NEW ANGLE OF MIDAIR CRASH CATASTROPHE

“You really do have TDS. Grab some coffee and take a walk,” wrote another user who goes by the name of SouthernRepublicanMomma.

Swallwell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

FAA, NTSB TO BRIEF SENATORS ON WASHINGTON, DC, MIDAIR COLLISION

Georgia’s crash saw a single-engine airplane take off from the Covington Municipal Airport at 11 p.m. on Saturday. Ground control lost communication with the plane roughly 20 minutes later, at which point police officers located the plane crashed near the runway.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has addressed the public multiple times regarding recent plane crashes in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and elsewhere. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The plane’s two occupants were immediately announced dead at the scene.

“On February 15, 2025, the Covington Police Department officers responded to the Covington Municipal Airport at approximately 11:21 p.m. after receiving a call from the FAA in reference to a single-engine aircraft that had taken off at approximately 11:00 p.m. There was no further communication from the aircraft after takeoff,” the Covington Police Department said in a statement.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed they are investigating the crash.

Wreckage is seen in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles, U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

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The incident comes in the wake of multiple other plane crashes in recent weeks, the most dramatic being the collision of a helicopter and a commercial airliner in the skies over Washington, D.C. last month.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

February 17, 2025
AJ Brown brings Lombardi Trophy to young Eagles fan recovering in hospital after Philadelphia plane crash

Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown did not wait for Friday’s parade to celebrate winning the Super Bowl with fans.

Brown visited the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Wednesday with the Lombardi Trophy in hand to visit with 10-year-old Andre Howard III, who heroically protected his sister from debris after a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia late last month.

Andre Howard III, a devout Eagles fan, heroically protected his sister from debris after a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia late last month. (Andre Howard Jr./Lashawn Hamiel)

In an open letter to Brown shared on Facebook, Andre’s mother thanked the NFL star for the “love and support” he showed her son.

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“Thank you for being a man of your word. By great surprise on this day my son was beyond grateful to meet you,” he message read. “Caught us all by surprise. For Someone ‘(ANDRE)’ my son who usually talk so much, you had him smiling from ear to ear and Mute.

“I felt his heart pounding through his chest. The amount of love and support you gave being so patient and calling Saquon Barkley for him was beyond appreciated. Thank you for everything and bringing that WIN home for ‘TRE’ the world’s greatest SUPERHERO.”

Andre Howard III underwent emergency brain surgery and one of the first questions he asked his dad when he woke up was if he had missed the Super Bowl. (Andre Howard Jr./Lashawn Hamiel)

A.J. BROWN SAYS WINNING SUPER BOWL ‘WASN’T WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE;’ LOVE FOR GAME ‘COMES WHEN I DOMINATE’

Andre and his family had gone out for donuts the night a medical transport jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all six people on board. His father, Andre Howard Jr., said they were in the car when debris started hitting the vehicle.

Howard saw his son in the backseat covering his sister.

“I turn around — there’s a piece of metal sticking out of my son’s head from the plane,” Howard said.

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Andre, a devout Eagles fan, underwent emergency brain surgery and one of the first questions he asked his dad when he woke up was if he had missed the Super Bowl. He had not.

A.J. Brown called Andre Howard III his “hero” in a post on social media. (Andre Howard Jr./Lashawn Hamiel)

Brown responded to photos of the visit posted by the NFL, calling Andre “my hero.” He said before the big game that he would be “playing” for Andre on Sunday, with hopes of visiting him soon “with some hardware.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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February 14, 2025
Plane carrying Sec. of State Rubio turns around after experiencing mechanical issue

A plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio was diverted back to Joint Base Andrews on Thursday night due to a mechanical issue.

Rubio was on his way to Munich, Germany from Washington, D.C. on Thursday night when the plane experienced a mechanical issue, according to spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

RUBIO SAYS AMERICAN MARC FOGEL FREED FROM RUSSIA DUE TO ‘STRENGTH’ OF TRUMP

TOPSHOT – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards a plane en route to El Salvador at Panama Pacifico International Airport in Panama City on February 3, 2025. Rubio is in Panama on a two-day official visit. (MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/Pool AP/AFP via Getty Images)

The plane has since turned around and was returning to Joint Base Andrews.

Bruce said Rubio intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft.

This is a developing story.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.

February 14, 2025
Brazil plane crash: Aircraft collides with bus in São Paulo, killing 2

Two people are dead in Brazil on Friday after a small plane crashed into a bus on a busy road in São Paulo.

Video taken at the scene showed firefighters surrounding the smoldering wreckage of the aircraft, which plunged from the sky shortly after taking off from a nearby private airport.

A piece of the plane hit a bus, injuring one woman inside, while a motorcyclist was struck by another piece of wreckage, according to local firefighters.

“Unfortunately, we began the day with this tragic plane crash in the capital of São Paulo, with the confirmed deaths of the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft,” São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas wrote on X.

BERING AIR PLANE VANISHES IN ALASKA WHILE CARRYING 10 PEOPLE

Firefighters inspect a small plane that crashed on a road in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, Feb. 7. (AP/Ettore Chiereguini)

“Two people who were on the ground were injured and were taken to the Vergueiro Emergency Care Unit. It is worth highlighting the quick action of the Fire Department, which put out the flames of the accident in a few minutes, preventing an even greater tragedy,” he added. “My condolences to the families and friends of the victims.”

The plane went down in the busy Barra Funda neighborhood on the city’s west side, near its downtown.

US MILITARY SURVEILLANCE FLIGHT CRASHES IN PHILIPPINES, KILLING 4

Police inspect a bus that caught fire following the crash in Brazil. (AP/Ettore Chiereguini)

Images on local media showed the plane’s fuselage and the bus on fire, with firefighters working to extinguish the blaze. The avenue is home to office buildings and there is a key bus, train and subway station nearby.

The aircraft was heading to the city of Porto Alegre.

Firefighters inspect the small plane following the crash Friday in São Paulo, Brazil. (AP/Ettore Chiereguini)

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It’s not immediately clear what caused the crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.

February 7, 2025
US seizes Venezuelan plane used by Maduro regime

An aircraft used by a state-owned Venezuelan natural gas company to evade U.S. sanctions and export control laws for the benefit of the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was seized in the Dominican Republic Thursday, authorities said.

The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Caribbean nation for talks with its president.

“The seizure of this Venezuelan aircraft, used for evading U.S. sanctions and money laundering, is a powerful example of our resolve to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime accountable for its illegal actions,” Rubio wrote on X.

“With the Dominican Republic and our regional partners, we will continue to counteract any scheme to evade U.S. sanctions.”

TRUMP OFFICIAL TRAVELS TO VENEZUELA IN PUSH FOR MADURO REGIME TO TAKE BACK TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, listens to Edwin F. Lopez, the attaché for DHS Homeland Security Investigations, center, next to the Venezuelan government airplane that Rubio announced was being seized by the U.S. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The seizure stemmed from a 2019 executive order during President Donald Trump’s first term in office in an effort to prohibit American citizens from engaging in transactions with anyone who worked for or on behalf of PdVSA. In January 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) identified 15 aircraft that fell under the order.

PdVSA bought the plane from the U.S. in July 2017 and exported it to Venezuela, where it was registered under tail number YV-3360, the Justice Department said.

Despite sanctions being levied on PdVSA, the plane was still serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the U.S., authorities said. The service included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays and flight management computers, all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

A “seized” sign is placed on a Venezuelan government airplane during a press conference where U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, announced its seizure at La Isabela International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Thursday. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

“The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

“The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.”

DHS SEC. NOEM ANNOUNCES END TO TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS

This photo released by Venezuela’s presidential press office shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, shaking hands with Richard Grenell, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Jan. 31, 2025. (Venezuela’s presidential press office, via AP)

Among its uses, the plane was allegedly used to take Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned, to an OPEC meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime.

The aircraft was used in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets, the DOJ said.

In September, a plane owned by Maduro was also seized in the Dominican Republic. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flew the Dassault Falcon 900EX back to the United States soon after.

“Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt and otherwise combat criminal activity,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne.

Maduro’s plane on a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., tarmac, after U.S. authorities seized the aircraft and flew it from the Dominican Republic. That plane was seized in September 2024. (WFOR)

Maduro began his third six-year term as president last month despite widespread skepticism over the legitimacy of his election victory.

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International and domestic critics question the fairness of the electoral process. Maduro claimed victory by more than 1 million votes. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González is widely believed to have won by a landslide.

February 7, 2025
US military plane deporting up to 205 Indian migrants land in India: report

A U.S. military plane carrying a group of Indian migrants landed in India early Wednesday morning as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, a U.S. Transportation Command official confirmed to Fox News Digital.

The outlet also reported that India is the farthest destination a military aircraft has ever flown to for deportations under Trump’s administration.

According to the official, the C-17 aircraft flew from Miramar, near San Diego, yesterday and landed in Amritsar, in northern India, around 3:30 ET. The plane carried between 104 and 205 nationals and marked the first time Washington authorized a military aircraft for deportations to India, according to Reuters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump, have been largely discussing immigration issues since Trump took office. The White House confirmed that Trump has invited Modi to come visit next week.

A U.S. military plane deporting illegal Indian immigrants lands in Amritsar, India, on Feb. 5, 2025. (Adnan Abidi)

INDIA’S MODI SPEAKS WITH ‘DEAR FRIEND’ PRESIDENT TRUMP AMID HOPES OF FURTHERING TIES

According to the Pew Research center, there are about 725,000 Indians who have been illegally residing in the U.S. since 2022, marking India as the third top source of illegal U.S. immigration after Mexico and El Salvador.

An Indian immigrant deported from the U.S. sits in a police vehicle as they leave the airport in Amritsar, India, on Feb. 5, 2025. (Adnan Abidi)

TRUMP SAYS HE’S NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ON H-1B VISAS AS DEBATE RAGES WITHIN MAGA COALITION

Indian nationals often arrive in the U.S. through H-1B visas, a foreign worker visa that allows American employers to hire foreign workers. This legal pathway of entry has been hotly contested by some Trump supporters.

The president, however, dismissed immigration concerns after having a “productive call” last month that focused on “expanding and deepening cooperation.”

People spot a U.S. military plane arriving in Amritsar, India, on Feb. 5, 2025. (Adnan Abidi)

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“We have a very good relationship with India,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One after his call with Modi.

The president continued to express confidence that India will “do what is right.”

Fox News’ Kyra Colah and Reuters contributed to this report.

Ronn Blitzer is an editor for Fox News Digital covering politics and breaking news.

February 5, 2025