“We’re Too Close to the Debris”

This story works best on ProPublica’s website . Delta Airlines Flight 573 took off from San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 4:45 p.m. Eastern time on Jan.

16, 2025, and headed for Atlanta. At 5:49 p.m., air traffic controllers told pilots over the Caribbean that a SpaceX Starship rocket had exploded. All planes were ordered to avoid an area where the Federal Aviation Administration estimated debris would fall.

The plane turned sharply south to get out of the debris zone. And it wasn’t alone. ProPublica identified 20 other planes that appeared to make sudden turns to exit or avoid the danger zone in the minutes after the explosion.

While none of the planes were damaged by the debris, such emergency maneuvering can be risky. The airspace remained closed for 86 minutes, during which time flight pattern