WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal authorities say two airliners were a minute away from colliding when they turned away from each other over the Caribbean this week.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the Delta Air Lines flight and a Russian-registered passenger jet were heading toward each other north of Puerto Rico on Thursday when cockpit alarms went off.

In a statement Friday, the NTSB says the pilot of the Russian plane - a Transaero Boeing 737 - descended 200 to 300 feet to avoid Delta Flight 485.

The planes were 33,000 feet over the water and about 180 miles north of San Juan. The Delta aircraft was headed from New York's Kennedy International Airport to Port of Spain, Trinidad.