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Belgian Royals Remain Stranded in Chile Awaiting Repair Approval

Belgian officials are considering a review of the Hi Fly lease contract after repeated mechanical failures disrupted both legs of the state visit.

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Overview

  • King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are stuck in Antofagasta after a tow truck damaged a tire on their Hi Fly-operated Airbus A340-300 during taxi to the runway.
  • More than 16 hours after the scheduled June 26 departure, safety authorities have not granted clearance for the replaced wheel.
  • The delegation relocated to a nearby hotel overnight while engineers fitted a new tire and awaited official approval to resume travel.
  • Their outbound flight from Melsbroek Airport was also postponed by 24 hours on June 22 due to technical issues with the same aircraft.
  • Belgian authorities are now weighing a review of the Hi Fly lease under the national defense agreement to strengthen reliability for high-level travel.