King Philippe of Belgium stranded in Chile with his wife and ministers

King Philippe of Belgium, his wife Queen Mathilde, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, regional government heads, ministers, and a delegation of business leaders completed their contacts in Chile on Thursday, where they had been on a three-day official visit.

Following the visit, King Philippe and his delegation boarded an Airbus A340-300 aircraft operated by the Portuguese airline Hi Fly at Antofagasta Airport to return to Belgium.

As the plane was being moved into takeoff position, damage occurred to its tires, and King Philippe and his delegation were deplaned. It was reported that the King and his delegation have been stranded in Chile since Thursday because only one spare tire was available, and a second one could not be sourced.

TECHNICAL FAILURE HAD ALSO OCCURRED BEFORE DEPARTURE

The visit, which was scheduled to begin last Sunday, started with a delay on Monday due to a technical failure on the plane that was to carry the delegation. While the delegation traveled to Chile with a delay, they have now been unable to return. According to reports in the Belgian media, the same aircraft experienced technical issues once again.

REACTION TO THE AIRLINE

Following the delay before their departure, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot had stated regarding the one-day delay: "It is embarrassing for the image of this country. Necessary investigations will be conducted regarding the company from which the service was purchased." However, the fact that the plane experienced problems again on the return trip has caused great astonishment in Belgium.

The latest reports in the Belgian press indicate that King Philippe and his delegation are expected to reach the country by early Sunday morning.