The aircraft carrying U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was forced to return to Maryland late on Thursday, February 13, after experiencing a “mechanical malfunction” while en route to Germany.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed the incident, stating, “The Secretary plans to continue his trip to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft.”
According to a CBS News correspondent on board, approximately 90 minutes into the flight, a crack appeared on the cockpit windshield, prompting the pilots to return to Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., while maintaining a low altitude.
