Six U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, operating under the call sign MAZDA11, diverted to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on September 12th, 2025, at approximately 9:16 PM UTC. The aircraft were originally en route from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, to José Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico. Supporting tanker aircraft, GOLD61, also modified its route, according to flight tracking data. The diversion occurred within the reporting window, which spans 29 minutes from 9:16 PM UTC to 9:46 PM UTC on September 12th. The F-35Bs were supported by at least one KC-135 Stratotanker, GOLD61, which is identified as serial number 59-1460, as part of the ALTRV Coronet South 814 mission. The specific reasons for the diversion have not been officially disclosed by U.S. military authorities. This development coincides with reports of a fire at the local airport in Paragua, Edo Bolívar, Venezuela, where it is unofficially reported that a large accumulation of fuel, intended to supply illegal mines and rafts in the Middle Caroní, was stored in a shed. This incident was reported on September 12th. Previous reports from earlier on September 12th indicated ongoing U.S. Air Force transport operations into Puerto Rico, involving a C-5M Super Galaxy and a C-17A Globemaster III, and the departure of another C-17A from Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The Dutch Royal Navy frigate HNLMS Van Amstel also docked in Curaçao on September 11th, contributing to heightened military observations in the Caribbean region.
