The state visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Chile — already marred by a 24-hour outbound delay — faces further disruption as the Belgian royal delegation remains grounded in Antofagasta, northern Chile. Their return flight was halted Thursday evening local time after the aircraft suffered damage while taxiing to the runway.
The royal couple, along with government officials, business leaders, academics, and media representatives, had boarded the aircraft and were preparing for departure when the Airbus A340-300, operated by Hi Fly (registration 9H-SUN), reportedly experienced an issue during the pushback. According to on-board sources, including Belgian royalty reporter Wim Dehandschutter, passengers felt a jolt followed by silence. Shortly after, they were informed that the aircraft had been damaged and take-off would be delayed “by several hours” at minimum.
Initial indications suggest that a tow vehicle may have braked abruptly during the maneuver, causing one of the aircraft’s tires to be destroyed. A replacement tire was reportedly available, and technicians were seen working on the damaged wheel as passengers disembarked and awaited updates.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were escorted to a private lounge at the airport, while the rest of the delegation remained on board until all passengers were eventually asked to leave the aircraft. Buses were deployed on the tarmac to bring the group back to the terminal.
This latest setback adds to the troubled logistics of the royal mission, which began with a delayed departure from Belgium due to technical issues. The trip marks the first Belgian state visit to Latin America in 60 years and includes an economic delegation of 127 participants from 20 companies.
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