KINGSTON (Reuters) – Canada said on Friday an aircraft was sent this week to Jamaica to address a maintenance issue with the plane that took Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a visit to the Caribbean, enabling him to fly back home.
It is the second recent instance of such an aircraft glitch; Trudeau’s departure from India in September 2023 was delayed by a couple of days after a G20 summit.
“We can confirm two Royal Canadian Air Force CC-144 Challengers were in Jamaica supporting transport for the prime minister,” a spokesperson for Canada’s defense department said.
An inspection uncovered the maintenance issue on Tuesday, before Trudeau’s departure date, the spokesperson added. A maintenance team and aircraft were sent to the island to restore the craft to service the next day.
Trudeau was able to return on the original plane, the spokesperson said.
Reporting by Gokul Pisharody in Bengaluru. Editing by Gerry Doyle
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