US Secretary of State’s Plane Returning After Technical Issue

The aircraft carrying US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which was en route to Munich, encountered a technical problem mid-flight and had to return. This was reported by Reuters, citing a representative from the US State Department.

“The plane transporting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Washington to Munich faced a mechanical failure and has returned. This means that Rubio will continue his journey to Germany and the Middle East on another aircraft,” the statement said.

Rubio is set to participate in the Munich Security Conference on February 14. US Vice President Mike Pence and Rubio are scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before the opening of the annual peace conference starting in Munich.

It remains unclear if Rubio will arrive in time for the meeting. In April 2024, a Boeing 737 carrying the current US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also affected by a mechanical failure in France.