WASHINGTON DC. (Agencies): The Boeing C-32 aircraft carrying US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany for the Munich Security Conference was forced to turn back to base on Thursday due to a “mechanical issue.” Rubio was en route to the conference when the aircraft abruptly returned to Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington.
The Boeing C-32, a military variant of the Boeing 757-200 commercial airliner, is primarily used by the United States Air Force for VIP transport and special operations. The aircraft, which can travel twice the distance on the same amount of fuel compared to its predecessor and operate on shorter runways, encountered an issue related to a crack in the cockpit windshield about 90 minutes into the flight.
“The plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, as cited by AFP. “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 added.
Despite the setback, Rubio’s spokesperson confirmed his intention to proceed with his travel plans to Germany and the Middle East. The incident has raised concerns about Rubio’s ability to attend high-level meetings with Russian counterparts and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the conference.
The Munich Security Conference runs 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 expected to meet with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky during the event.
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that “high-level” US representatives will meet their Russian counterparts at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to discuss a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Trump stated that “Ukraine is also invited, by the way,” but did not specify the format of the meeting or clarify whether it would be a three-way dialogue or a series of bilateral talks.
The US Senate confirmed Rubio as secretary of state just hours after Trump was sworn in on January 20. The trip to Germany to discuss the Ukraine conflict is his second overseas journey in this capacity. Afterward, he will travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to address the Gaza war and Trump’s idea for the US to take over the Palestinian enclave.
The Boeing C-32 is known for its reliability and efficiency, making it an essential asset for transporting U.S. leaders around the world. However, Boeing has faced significant quality issues in recent years, including problems with the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, and 777X programs. These issues have led to production halts, delivery delays, and increased scrutiny of Boeing’s engineering practices and safety protocols.