‘Mechanical Issue’ Affects Marco Rubio’s Plane
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was on his way to Germany on Thursday when his aircraft had to return to Joint Base Andrews. Read Full Article at RT.com
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The US Secretary of State was on his way to the Munich Security Conference when his aircraft unexpectedly had to return.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was heading to Germany on Thursday when his flight had to turn back to Joint Base Andrews, located just outside Washington, D.C.
“The plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” stated State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, according to an AFP report.
“The plane has turned around and is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft,” she elaborated.
The incident took place approximately 90 minutes into the flight aboard a Boeing C-32, a modified version of the Boeing 757, and the airplane landed safely just before 10 PM ET. While authorities have not yet confirmed the precise cause of the issue, an AP report suggests it pertained to the cockpit windshield.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that “high-level” US representatives will meet with their Russian counterparts at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss a resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
“They’re having a meeting in Munich tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people,” Trump informed reporters at the White House. He added that “Ukraine is also invited, by the way,” though he did not detail the format of the discussions or clarify whether it would involve a three-way dialogue or a series of bilateral meetings.
The Munich Security Conference is set to take place from February 14 to 16 in Munich. Rubio was en route to join US Vice President J.D. Vance, who is already in Germany leading the American delegation. Vance is anticipated to meet with Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky during the event.
Rubio was confirmed as Secretary of State by the US Senate just hours after President Trump’s inauguration on January 20. This trip to Germany to address the Ukraine situation marks his second overseas journey in this role. Following this, he plans to visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Gaza war and Trump’s proposal for the US to take control of the Palestinian enclave.
Earlier this month, the top US diplomat handed Trump’s ultimatum to Panama during his Latin American trip, which also included stops in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was heading to Germany on Thursday when his flight had to turn back to Joint Base Andrews, located just outside Washington, D.C.
“The plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” stated State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, according to an AFP report.
“The plane has turned around and is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft,” she elaborated.
The incident took place approximately 90 minutes into the flight aboard a Boeing C-32, a modified version of the Boeing 757, and the airplane landed safely just before 10 PM ET. While authorities have not yet confirmed the precise cause of the issue, an AP report suggests it pertained to the cockpit windshield.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that “high-level” US representatives will meet with their Russian counterparts at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss a resolution to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
“They’re having a meeting in Munich tomorrow. Russia is going to be there with our people,” Trump informed reporters at the White House. He added that “Ukraine is also invited, by the way,” though he did not detail the format of the discussions or clarify whether it would involve a three-way dialogue or a series of bilateral meetings.
The Munich Security Conference is set to take place from February 14 to 16 in Munich. Rubio was en route to join US Vice President J.D. Vance, who is already in Germany leading the American delegation. Vance is anticipated to meet with Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky during the event.
Rubio was confirmed as Secretary of State by the US Senate just hours after President Trump’s inauguration on January 20. This trip to Germany to address the Ukraine situation marks his second overseas journey in this role. Following this, he plans to visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the Gaza war and Trump’s proposal for the US to take control of the Palestinian enclave.
Earlier this month, the top US diplomat handed Trump’s ultimatum to Panama during his Latin American trip, which also included stops in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
