Cracked windscreen forces US defence secretary's plane to land in UK

October 15, 2025

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth's plane made an emergency landing in the UK after developing a crack in the aircraft windshield during his return flight from NATO's Defence Minister meeting in Belgium. The Pentagon confirmed everyone aboard remained safe as the plane followed standard emergency procedures, including broadcasting a "7700 squawk code" and descending to 10,000 feet near the Irish coast before diverting eastward. This incident follows a similar February emergency when Secretary of State Marco Rubio's government plane had to turn back due to a cockpit window crack.

Who is affected

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth
Other passengers and crew onboard the government plane
The Pentagon (US Department of Defense)

What action is being taken

The plane made an unscheduled landing in the UK following standard emergency procedures
The aircraft descended to 10,000 feet and broadcasted a "7700 squawk code" on its transponder to signal an emergency
The Pentagon is communicating updates about the situation through social media platform X

Why it matters

The incident involved a high-ranking US government official returning from an important NATO Defence Minister meeting about Ukraine security
It represents the second recent emergency involving a senior US official's government aircraft (following Secretary Rubio's incident in February)
It highlights safety protocols and emergency response procedures for government transportation

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC