On Tuesday night, January 20th, the Air Force One carrying US President Trump made a safe landing at Andrews Joint Base near Washington DC for a plane change before heading to Davos. Prior to this, the flight crew discovered a “minor electrical fault” shortly after the first aircraft took off.
The White House spokesperson, Caroline Levitt, stated that the journey would continue on another aircraft.
Data from the open-source flight tracking service ADS-B Exchange showed that the aircraft made a turn over the Atlantic near Montauk, New York (at the eastern tip of Long Island).
Reporters onboard the original Air Force One observed several staff members disembarking the plane with luggage.
The onboard crew were busy with the transition, quickly moving in and out crates of fruits, packaged sandwiches, and beverages. On the ground, others were seen unloading around a dozen suitcases from the aircraft onto a truck.
The cabin TV was broadcasting Fox News, with rolling subtitles reporting on the electrical malfunction of Trump’s aircraft.
According to accompanying reporters, President Trump has boarded the new aircraft.
Trump, along with his delegation, is heading to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum alongside other world leaders.
While aircraft incidents involving US presidents or vice presidents are rare, they are not unheard of.
In 2011, President Obama’s Air Force One trip to Connecticut for an event had to be aborted due to severe weather. In 2012, Vice President Biden’s Air Force Two encountered a bird strike in California but landed safely in the end.
This article was based on reports from Reuters and CNN.