Donald Trump’s flight to the World Economic Forum in Davos was aborted due to a technical problem. Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as a precautionary safety measure after a “minor electrical issue” was detected mid-flight.
Donald Trump’s flight to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland was unexpectedly cut short on Tuesday when his presidential aircraft, Air Force One, was forced to turn back to the United States shortly after takeoff due to a technical problem identified mid-flight. The White House described the issue as a “minor electrical issue”, prompting the crew to return to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as a precautionary safety measure.
What went wrong?
According to statements from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the decision to abort the flight was made soon after the crew detected the electrical fault, and was taken out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the President and all aboard. Following the return, Trump and his delegation were expected to transfer to another aircraft to continue the journey to the global summit in Davos.
Aboard the aircraft, members of the press travelling with the President reported that lights in the press cabin had briefly flickered before the decision to turn back was made, though no further technical details have been released publicly. Despite the scare, there were no injuries and the aircraft landed safely back at the base.
Related Articles
The incident drew attention to the ageing Air Force One fleet, which consists of Boeing VC-25A aircraft that have served for decades. These planes have faced repeated delays in replacement efforts by Boeing, and the administration is awaiting delivery of updated aircraft that have been under development.
Leavitt, attempting to add levity to the situation, joked that a gifted Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar — currently being refitted to serve as a future presidential aircraft — seemed a more reliable option in light of the electrical issue.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump resumed his trip to the Davos forum in Switzerland early Wednesday after an electrical issue forced his presidential plane to return to its air base.
Trump and his entourage changed planes at Joint Base Andrews just outside Washington and took off again shortly after midnight (0500 GMT), about two-and-a-half hours after his initial departure.
While the flight disruption caused a short delay in Trump’s arrival in Davos, officials emphasised that preparations for his participation in the forum continued, and that the President would deliver his scheduled address after reaching Switzerland aboard the replacement aircraft.
(With AFP inputs)
