Belgium’s King and Queen stranded in Chile after plane suffers technical challenge: Summary
What we know
- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are stuck in Chile after their official plane suffered a mechanical fault before take-off.
- The royals were due to leave Antofagasta Airport following a three-day state visit, but a damaged tire forced the cancellation of their flight.
- It’s the second travel issue on their Latin American tour, with their outbound flight from Belgium also delayed by 24 hours due to technical problems.
- Queen Mathilde recently faced another flight scare in February when her plane made an emergency landing in Costa Rica because of a cracked windshield.
- The delays come as King Philippe recently addressed questions about his future, saying he supports his daughter, Princess Elisabeth, in preparing for her role.
What they said
Providing updates on the issue, Wim Dehandschutter, royal commentator, wrote on X, "The plane of Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, with which they were supposed to return home after their state visit to Chile, is being repaired at the airport. Due to a damaged wheel, they can’t leave. The Belgian delegation has to get out and is taken away by bus".
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
