A US Air Force aircraft carrying the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, had to change its course to the United Kingdom due to an in-flight emergency. The Boeing C-32A plane, en route from Brussels to Washington, triggered a distress signal known as a “7700 squawk code” after encountering a depressurization issue off the coast of Ireland. This incident led to the plane descending to 10,000 feet and diverting back east, as reported by aviation news source Airlive.
The emergency descent was prompted by the discovery of a crack in the aircraft’s windshield, confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. Parnell explained that Secretary Hegseth’s plane made an unscheduled landing in the UK following the standard procedures, ensuring the safety of all passengers, including Hegseth himself.
Secretary Hegseth expressed gratitude and reassurance upon landing at RAF Mildenhall, a US Air Force base in Suffolk, tweeting, “All good. Thank God. Continue mission!” Prior to the emergency, Hegseth attended NATO discussions on Ukraine’s security, highlighting the support for the country’s defense through the acquisition of US weapons by allied nations.
While details on specific weaponry like Tomahawk missiles were not disclosed, Hegseth emphasized the imminent arrival of firepower and the conversion of funding commitments into military capabilities for Ukraine. These acquisitions fall under the new Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), with $2 billion already pledged for military equipment and further contributions expected from NATO allies.
