German foreign minister scraps Pacific trip after a persistent problem with her plane

KIFI

Published August 15, 2023 1:36 AM

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s foreign minister has abandoned a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji after a problem with her government plane twice forced it to return to Abu Dhabi, delaying her by more than a day. Annalena Baerbock set off from Berlin Sunday on what was supposed to be a nearly weeklong trip. But a mechanical problem with her aging German air force Airbus A340’s landing flaps meant that it had to turn back to Abu Dhabi after a refueling stop there. The aircraft took off again for Australia on Monday night but the technical problem resurfaced shortly after takeoff and the plane had to return to the Emirati capital again. On Tuesday morning, Baerbock called off the trip.

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