Pope's return home from Spain delayed as plane suffers technical issue
By Joshua McElweeReuters
Pope Leo XIV and Spain's King Felipe VI leave the plane from which the Pope was due to depart on, following an incident at Tenerife Norte–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, according to local media, Canary Islands, Spain, June 12, 2026, at the end of a seven-day apostolic journey to Spain, with visits to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he met with migrants and humanitarian organizations. REUTERS/Borja Suarez
Borja Suarez
Reuters
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE - Pope Leo had to delay his return to Rome on Friday at the end of a week-long tour of Spain after his plane could not take off because of strong winds.
The plane carrying Leo, Vatican staff and journalists was preparing to taxi to the runway north of Tenerife island when the captain announced that it had a maintenance problem.
Leo, who had already boarded his flight operated by carrier Iberia after being waved off by King Felipe and other Spanish dignitaries, was then escorted off the aircraft by the king back to the terminal.
In further announcements after Leo had left the plane, the captain said the engine had probably been unable to start because of the wind. He said the plane would be towed so it faced the wind and they would try starting the engine again.
He later said the issue could not be resolved immediately and the rest of the passengers were told they should disembark.
Iberia said in a statement that the plane had experienced an unspecified technical issue and that a replacement plane was being sent from Madrid that would make the journey to Rome on Friday.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Corina Pons; writing by Charlie Devereux; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
A Spanish flag flutters from the plane from which the Pope was due to depart at Tenerife Norte–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport following an incident, according to local media, Spain, June 12, 2026, at the end of a seven-day apostolic journey to Spain, with visits to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he met with migrants and humanitarian organizations. REUTERS/Borja Suarez Borja Suarez Reuters
Pope Leo XIV and Spain's King Felipe VI leave the plane from which the Pope was due to depart on, following an incident at Tenerife Norte–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, according to local media, Canary Islands, Spain, June 12, 2026, at the end of a seven-day apostolic journey to Spain, with visits to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he met with migrants and humanitarian organizations. REUTERS/Borja Suarez Borja Suarez Reuters
Pope Leo XIV and Spain's King Felipe VI walk on the tarmac after leaving the plane from which the Pope was due to depart on, following an incident at Tenerife Norte–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport, according to local media, Canary Islands, Spain, June 12, 2026, at the end of a seven-day apostolic journey to Spain, with visits to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he met with migrants and humanitarian organizations. REUTERS/Borja Suarez Borja Suarez Reuters
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 11:45 AM.
