Marco Rubio's plane forced to return over mechanical problem

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.

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