Germany Government plane malfunctions: Wadephul has to reschedule trip to South America
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has had to reschedule his trip to an EU-Latin America summit in Colombia at short notice due to a government plane not being operational. The German Foreign Office announced that the Airbus A350 of the German Armed Forces Air Wing planned for the flight from Hamburg was unavailable due to a defect. According to the air force, the problem is a defect in the anti-icing system. The corresponding spare parts have been ordered, said an air force spokesman. Wadephul is to represent Chancellor Friedrich Merz (both CDU) at the meeting.
08.11.2025, 16:02
SDA
The Foreign Office went on to say that the Minister would now fly to Colombia on a scheduled flight and then on to the meeting in Santa Marta on the Caribbean Sea in the north of the country. On Sunday, Wadephul wanted to travel on from Colombia to Bolivia with the air force to hold talks with the newly elected government there.
On Tuesday and Wednesday next week, the Federal Foreign Minister is scheduled to attend a meeting of the foreign ministers of the G7 countries of economically strong democracies in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Wadephul's predecessor frequently thwarted by mishaps
Wadephul's predecessor Annalena Baerbock (Greens) was repeatedly affected by mishaps involving the Bundeswehr's air force when she was Foreign Minister in the previous traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP. The most spectacular example was a planned trip by Baerbock to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
Baerbock had to abort the flight in August 2023 after the landing flaps on an Airbus A340 belonging to the Bundeswehr's flight readiness unit failed to retract after take-off during a refueling stop in Abu Dhabi. The same error occurred again during another attempt, so the Foreign Minister aborted the trip and returned to Germany on a scheduled flight. She made up for the visit later.
