Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot Falcon 7X jet made emergency at PJIA

AIRPORT--The Belgian Air Force Falcon 7X jet (reg. OO-FAE) carrying Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot and a parliamentary delegation to the CELAC–EU summit in Colombia was forced to make an emergency landing in St. Maarten on Saturday following an engine problem, according to the minister’s spokesperson.

The aircraft, which had departed Belgium early Saturday as flight BAF77, initially had to turn back over the United Kingdom due to a fuel issue.

After undergoing repairs and recertification at Melsbroek Air Base, it departed again at around 14:00 Belgian time. A first leg to Terceira on the Azores was carried out without problems. Mid-flight on the second leg to Santa Marta, Colombia, however, the pilot informed passengers that a precautionary landing was required for safety reasons after detecting a new malfunction.

The emergency landing in St. Maarten, was carried out without incident, though fire crews were on standby. The delegation spent the night on the island, awaiting alternative transport to Santa Marta, their intended destination in northern Colombia. The Ministry of Defense eventually chartered another aircraft: a Gulfstream 5.

The delay means Prévot missed the opening session of the CELAC–EU summit as well as several bilateral meetings with NGOs and Latin American ministers. The delegation also included MPs Els Van Hoof (CD&V), Michel De Maegd (MR), Kathleen Depoorter (N-VA), and Christophe Lacroix (PS).

“This is a serious setback for Belgium’s image,” Prévot’s spokesperson said. “Each time, it’s our country’s credibility that suffers, as well as its ability to participate fully in key international meetings.”

The incident follows previous technical failures involving Belgium’s government aircraft — notably during King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s visit to Chile earlier this year. Prévot’s office reiterated calls for the purchase of two new aircraft for government and diplomatic missions, financed through the defence budget.

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