Top US diplomat Antony Blinken’s aircraft faces mechanical issue in Paris

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s aircraft encountered a mechanical issue in Paris, on Wednesday (Apr 3) reported Reuters, forcing him and his delegation to drive to Brussels.

What happened to Blinken’s aircraft?

Washington’s top diplomat got stuck in another country yet again due to his aircraft, this time in the French capital. He was later forced to drive to Brussels, Belgium for a meeting of NATO alliance foreign ministers, a State Department spokesperson said.

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According to the spokesperson, the US Air Force jet that had brought Blinken to France on Tuesday (Apr 2) experienced some mechanical issue.

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Blinken’s delegation was forced to drive from Paris to the NATO headquarters in Brussels after his aircraft, an older model of the Boeing 737, which had been modified to be used by the US government was grounded, reported Bloomberg.

The distance between the two capitals is more than 300 kilometres. The details about the mechanical issue that Blinken’s aircraft encountered this time were not immediately known.

Not the first time

In January, Blinken was briefly stuck in Davos, Switzerland and had to switch planes after his aircraft suffered a “critical failure” due to an oxygen leak. At the time, a separate plane was sent to bring Washington’s top diplomat and his aides back to the US.

The technical issues with Blinken’s aircraft also come at a time when Boeing is facing intense scrutiny, particularly since the near-catastrophic mid-air blowout involving its Boeing 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines.

Blinken in Paris

Washington’s top diplomat is in the midst of a European tour and arrived in Paris on Tuesday. In the French capital, he held talks with senior officials of the country, including President Emmanuel Macron.

Blinken also arrived hours after members of the Washington-based NGO, World Central Kitchen (WCK) were struck by an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Also Read |Top US diplomat Antony Blinken briefly stuck in Davos after plane faces ‘critical failure’

“We’ve spoken directly to the Israeli government about this particular incident. We’ve urged a swift, a thorough and impartial investigation,” said Washington’s top diplomat during a press conference in Paris, adding that humanitarian workers have to be protected.

However, he stopped short of directly condemning the attack, unlike his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne who voiced France’s “firm condemnation” of the Israeli airstrike. He added, “Nothing can justify such a tragedy.”

US President Joe Biden and his administration is facing pressure from the international community, human rights groups and some of his fellow Democrats over their support for Israel amid the ongoing war and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.

(With inputs from agencies)