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Where is Pete Hegseth? Is US Secretary of Defense safe as his plane makes emergency landing after ‘windshield crack’?
A plane carrying Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth faced an emergency shortly after departing Belgium on Wednesday.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's plane announced an emergency after taking off from Belgium on Wednesday.
Flight data posted online shows a quick plummet to under 10,000 feet and an abrupt turn toward the UK, with early suspicion pointing to cabin depressurization as the cause.
Pete Hegseth is safe, says chief Pentagon spokesman
Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said shortly after that a windshield crack prompted the emergency landing.
“On the way back to the United States from NATO’s Defense Ministers meeting, Secretary of War Hegseth’s plane made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom due to a crack in the aircraft windshield,” Parnell wrote on X. “The plane landed based on standard procedures and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe.”
Also Read: Air Force plane carrying Pete Hegseth declares emergency: What is Squawk 7700?
Pete Hegseth emergency landing: Here's what went wrong
Soon after entering maritime airspace west of Ireland, the aircraft, a military version of the Boeing 757, emitted a “7700” squawk code, the normal transponder signal signaling a significant in-flight emergency. In a matter of minutes, the Air Force C-32 aircraft dropped from 35,000 to 10,000 feet, which is comparable to cabin depressurization procedures, and then turned back toward RAF Mildenhall, which was probably its diversion base.
According to officials, the flight's crew followed all routine emergency procedures, and there were no early reports of injuries. The incident coincides with increased security and logistical cooperation across US military transit routes in Europe since Hegseth's office has been holding regional defense consultations in the UK and NATO member states this week.
According to aviation experts, a 7700 code might signal a variety of circumstances, such as an engine breakdown, an onboard fire, compressor failure, or passenger or crew medical emergency.
RAF Mildenhall, one of the main US Air Force stations in the UK used for transport and refueling operations, had emergency response teams on standby, as per reports.
