A Pentagon aircraft carrying War Secretary Pete Hegseth was forced to make an emergency landing in the United Kingdom on Wednesday after a windshield cracked during the flight, Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell announced.
Secretary Hegseth was en route from a meeting with NATO ministers in Brussels, Belgium, when the Air Force C-32 aircraft sharply reversed course and descended toward the U.K. No injuries were reported among those aboard, including the War Secretary.
“The plane landed based on standard procedures and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe,” Parnell confirmed on the social media platform X.
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Public flight tracking data indicated the aircraft made a rapid descent, dropping to 10,000 feet above the ocean near the U.K.—a standard protocol often followed during a potential cabin depressurization event. The plane reportedly broadcast the emergency code ‘7700’ before altering its trajectory toward land.
According to flight data, the plane safely landed at a Royal Air Force base.
The incident occurred as Secretary Hegseth concluded his engagement with NATO defense ministers. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the details of the emergency landing.
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