US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s aircraft was forced to make an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom following the discovery of a crack in the windshield. The incident occurred during a return flight to the US after Hegseth attended a NATO Defense Minister meeting in Belgium. The Pentagon confirmed the event on X, stating that the landing was executed under standard safety protocols and that all passengers, including Secretary Hegseth, were unharmed. Hegseth later posted on social media, ‘All good. Thank God. Continue mission!’
BBC Verify, in collaboration with FlightRadar24, tracked the aircraft’s trajectory, revealing that it began descending off the southwest coast of Ireland before altering its course eastward. At an altitude of 10,000 feet, the plane transmitted a ‘7700 squawk code,’ an international signal indicating an onboard emergency. Such emergencies can range from mechanical failures to medical crises.
This incident follows a similar occurrence in February when a government plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to abort its flight due to a cockpit window crack. The NATO meeting in Belgium, which Hegseth attended, focused on addressing security concerns in Ukraine. The emergency landing underscores the importance of stringent safety measures in aviation, particularly for high-profile government officials.