A host of A-list celebrities, including Oscar winner Natalie Portman, have found themselves unexpectedly stranded on luxury Caribbean islands following a sudden shutdown of the region's airspace. The closure was ordered by the United States in the wake of its military incursion into Venezuela and the capture of that country's president, Nicolas Maduro.
Airspace Shutdown Leaves Stars Grounded
On Saturday night, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy officially closed the airspace surrounding a collection of Caribbean nations. The affected area includes Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. This decisive action came immediately after the US-led attack on Venezuela, creating an instant travel crisis for anyone in the region relying on air travel.
The order grounded all commercial flights and private jets, leaving numerous celebrities who had been enjoying New Year's celebrations with no way to return home. According to reports from Page Six, those caught in the disruption on the exclusive island of St Barts include Queen Latifah, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, model Ming Lee Simmons, and actress Natalie Portman.
Portman is said to be particularly concerned due to pressing work commitments, including the upcoming Golden Globes ceremony where she is nominated for her role in the film Arco.
A Who's Who of Stranded A-Listers
The situation has impacted a wide range of high-profile figures. Comedian and talk show host Chelsea Handler highlighted the issue during her monologue at the People's Choice Awards, noting that Leonardo DiCaprio was forced to miss the Palm Springs International Film Awards because he remains stuck on St Barts.
Comedian Jeff Ross, who flew to the island for a performance at Beacher's Madhouse, took to social media to joke about his predicament. He quipped online: ‘Planes are grounded. Rowing to New York.’
Meanwhile, actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and his girlfriend, Claudine DeNiro, were spotted on Monday on the island of Anguilla, reportedly waiting for a private plane to evacuate them. DeNiro posted a seemingly relaxed photo of her tanned legs on a sunlounger with the caption: ‘Being stuck…’
Why Flights Were Cancelled Across the Caribbean
The root cause of the travel chaos is the proximity of Venezuela to the Caribbean archipelago. Venezuela lies only around seven miles from several Caribbean nations, making its airspace critical for regional flight paths.
According to data from FlightRadar24.com, no commercial airline flights crossed over Venezuelan airspace on Saturday. In the aftermath, major carriers cancelled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean. The Associated Press reported that passengers could face disruptions for several days.
Significant cancellations affected routes to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and other destinations within the Lesser Antilles island group, which sits directly north of Venezuela. The disruption was so severe that on Saturday afternoon, three planes carrying British holidaymakers to the Caribbean were forced to perform U-turns mid-flight and return to the UK.
The Geopolitical Trigger: US Action in Venezuela
The chain of events began when the US government launched an operation against Venezuela. Officials accused President Nicolas Maduro of being 'responsible for terrorist violence' in the Western Hemisphere, a charge he denies. The operation also led to the capture of Maduro's wife, First Lady Cilia Flores.
This intervention is described as the latest attempt by the US administration to curb drug trafficking into the United States. It follows months of strikes targeting boats in Venezuelan waters suspected of carrying narcotics linked to criminal gangs.
Former President Donald Trump, who ordered the action, has declared an intention to run Venezuela and pledged to inject ‘billions of dollars’ into exploiting the country's vast oil reserves and other natural resources. While some travel is now slowly resuming, the episode has left a glittering array of celebrities with an unplanned extension to their tropical holidays.
