The state visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Chile has faced yet another setback. After a 24-hour delay at departure and a ground-handling incident, the Belgian royal delegation remains grounded in Antofagasta, northern Chile — now for a second consecutive night.
On Thursday evening local time, the delegation had boarded an Airbus A340-300 operated by Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly (registration 9H-SUN) when the aircraft sustained damage during taxiing. Initial reports pointed to a front wheel being destroyed during pushback, possibly due to an abrupt stop by the tow vehicle. Although a replacement tire was quickly installed and passengers initially remained hopeful, the situation has since deteriorated.
Despite technical repairs being completed, Chilean aviation authorities have not yet granted clearance for the aircraft to depart. As of Friday midday local time (18:00 CET), the delegation, including King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, was informed there is still “no go” for take-off. A palace official stated, “Technically, it’s not possible to fly today. Safety first, as we say.”
The entire Belgian delegation — comprising around 100 people including business leaders, academics, and journalists — had been transported back to a hotel in Antofagasta after waiting for over two hours at the airport. The flight was officially cancelled late Thursday night.
Notably, the King and Queen reportedly declined an offer to return separately from the rest of the group, opting to remain with their delegation. Their return to Belgium, initially scheduled for Friday afternoon at the military airport of Melsbroek, is now postponed indefinitely pending regulatory approval.
More flight troubles for Belgian Royals in Chile: return delayed after Hi Fly aircraft incident