German FM cancels Pacific visit after 'vexing' plane problem

An embarrassing plane trouble forced German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday to cancel a weeklong trip to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

“We tried everything: Unfortunately it is logistically impossible to continue my Pacific trip without the defective aircraft. This is more than annoying,” Baerbock wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“In the Pacific region, we not only have close friends and partners. The region will decisively shape the world order of the 21st century,” she also said.

Baerbock was stranded in Abu Dhabi for more than 18 hours after her government plane – a modified Airbus A340 – encountered mechanical problems.

The plane carrying Baerbock and her delegation made a stopover in Abu Dhabi on Monday to refuel but experienced technical problems shortly after the take-off.

Following checks and a test flight, the plane took off again for Australia, but the problem recurred, the German Air Force said on X.

“Mission aborted! The error has occurred again with the aircraft now fully fueled. We are now landing again in Abu Dhabi,” the Team Luftwaffe said.

Wir haben alles versucht: leider ist es logistisch nicht möglich, meine Indo-Pazifik-Reise ohne den defekten Flieger fortzusetzen. Das ist mehr als ärgerlich. 1/2

— Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock (@ABaerbock) August 15, 2023