Secretary of State Marco Rubio's flight to the Munich Security Conference was cut short Thursday after a crack appeared in the cockpit windshield of the U.S. Air Force plane. The plane returned to Washington, and Rubio will continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft.
A U.S. Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio was forced to return to Washington on Thursday night after experiencing a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff. The flight, which was en route to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, encountered a problem with the aircraft's cockpit windshield, which reportedly developed a crack during the flight. According to U.S. officials, the issue became apparent about 90 minutes after the plane had departed, prompting the decision to turn the aircraft around and head back to Washington.
The plane, a C-32, which is a modified Boeing 757 used by high-ranking U.S. officials, landed safely at Joint Base Andrews, located just outside the U.S. capital. The aircraft had initially taken off from Washington, but it was forced to cut its journey short due to the safety concerns related to the cracked windshield. The plane was able to return without incident, and there were no reports of injuries to anyone on board.
In a statement provided to the press, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the mechanical issue and clarified that Rubio, who was traveling to Munich for the annual security conference, would continue his trip on a separate aircraft. "The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft," Bruce said.
The timing of the issue raises concerns about Rubio’s ability to attend a key meeting scheduled for Friday morning at the Munich Security Conference. The meeting, which was expected to include Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is an important event on the sidelines of the conference. However, it is still unclear whether Rubio will be able to attend, as his departure from Washington has been delayed.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes ...
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fift...
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affa...
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra G...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is ready to pursue diplomacy with Iran as nuclear talks resume in Geneva, using a visit to Budapest on Monday (16 January) to reaffirm both U.S. negotiating aims and strong ties with Hungary ahead of its April election.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will begin a two-day visit to Slovakia and Hungary on Sunday (15 February), aimed at strengthening ties with the two Central European nations, whose leaders have maintained close relations with President Donald Trump.
“Real security guarantees are needed before the war ends,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (14 February), warning that Russian aggression shows no sign of relenting.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared the end of the "world order" as the 2026 Munich Security Conference opened, warning of an era of “big power politics” driven by Russia, China and shifting U.S. leadership.
Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.
The United States and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a potential agreement, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced on Sunday.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
Mexican authorities said on Sunday that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances its economic recovery efforts, Syrian media reported on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes in a 6–3 ruling. Allies around the world are weighing possible retaliation, while markets brace for further upheaval.
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fifteen killed in a military helicopter crash - as hundreds of districts across the country remain under a state of emergency.
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra Gold, on Tuesday (24 February) in Rayong province, Thailand.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment