Plane carrying Secretary of State Rubio to Europe turned around because of a mechanical issue

Table of Contents

was forced to return to Washington late Thursday due to a mechanical problem.

"The plane carrying Secretary Rubio was experiencing a mechanical problem as it traveled from Washington to Munich this evening," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated.

“The plane has turned back and is heading back to Joint Base Andrews,” she said. “The secretary plans to continue his trip to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft.”

The problem reportedly arose in the cockpit of a modified Boeing 757, designated as a C-32, roughly 90 minutes after it departed from Joint Base Andrews, which is located just outside of Washington.

Although Rubio plans to continue his journey on a different plane, it remains uncertain at this time whether the delay will cause him to miss his scheduled meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich on Friday morning.