Tenerife, Spain. Pope Leo boarded a Falcon jet offered by the King of Spain on Friday after a technical issue grounded the larger papal plane in Tenerife, delaying his return to the Vatican at the end of a week-long tour of Spain.
The Spanish government said the air force aircraft used by the king would take the pope and several members of his delegation to Rome, while the rest of the delegation and reporters would travel on another plane being sent from Madrid.
Aircraft change after departure delay
Leo had already boarded his Iberia-operated flight after being seen off by King Felipe and other Spanish dignitaries, but was later escorted off the aircraft by the king and taken back to the terminal.
In announcements made after the pope disembarked, the captain said the engine had likely failed to start because of the wind. He later said the issue could not be resolved immediately and that passengers would have to leave the plane.
Replacement flights arranged
Iberia said in a statement that the plane had experienced an unspecified technical issue and that a replacement aircraft was being sent from Madrid to complete the journey to Rome on Friday.
