Secretary of War Pete Hegseth‘s plane Forced to Land in UK After Windshield Crack
LONDON – A Boeing C-32 aircraft carrying Secretary of War Pete Hegseth made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom on Wednesday after developing a crack in its windshield, the Pentagon confirmed. The incident occurred as Hegseth was returning to the US from Brussels following a NATO Defense Ministers meeting.
The emergency landing, which involved a descent of 10,000 feet and a course change toward the UK after issuing an emergency signal off the coast of Ireland, prompted concern but resulted in no injuries. All personnel onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, are safe, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. This incident marks the second time this year a US government plane has been forced to divert due to windshield issues, raising questions about maintenance and safety protocols for these aircraft.
“On the way back to the United States from NATO’s Defense Ministers meeting, Secretary of War Hegseth’s plane made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom due to a crack in the aircraft windshield,” Parnell said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Flight data reviewed by the BBC showed the aircraft lost altitude before diverting. The cause of the windshield crack remains unknown.
Hegseth acknowledged the incident on X, stating, “All good. thank God. Continue mission!”
The Air Force’s Boeing C-32 transporting Secretary of State Marco Rubio to germany experienced a similar issue with its cockpit windshield in February, forcing it to return to Washington D.C. The C-32 is a commonly used aircraft for transporting government officials.
