ECNETNews, New York, NY, January 16, 2025: Several flights bound for the popular Caribbean destination were diverted on Thursday evening due to the explosion of SpaceX’s Starship rocket during a test flight.
Flight tracking data indicated that multiple aircraft were rerouted away from the Turks and Caicos Islands to avoid potential debris from the incident. A JetBlue Airbus A320-232, originally en route from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was compelled to return to Fort Lauderdale International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took swift action, temporarily slowing and redirecting air traffic in the vicinity while issuing warnings about “falling debris from the Starship rocket,” designating the area as “dangerous.” Normal operations were restored shortly after the incident.
This incident occurred during SpaceX’s seventh Starship test flight, where the Super Heavy Booster successfully landed back on the launchpad. However, the upper stage of the rocket, known as Starship, suffered what SpaceX termed a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” scattering debris over a broad area.
Videos shared online showed debris streaking through the skies near the Turks and Caicos Islands, raising safety concerns for nearby air traffic. Witnesses reported seeing the sky illuminate as debris fell back to Earth.
A bystander captured footage of the debris and reported hearing a persistent “thunder” sound lasting about a minute after the explosion.
While SpaceX has yet to issue a public statement, the FAA’s rapid response helped to mitigate risks to surrounding aircraft.
This incident marks another setback for SpaceX’s Starship program, which has faced similar challenges during previous tests.
In a social media update, SpaceX CEO addressed the incident, noting an oxygen and fuel leak above the engine firewall, which created pressure exceeding the vent capacity. He assured that precautions would be heightened for future tests.
