PAPAL PICKUP

Pope Leo Hitches Ride on Royal Jet

The pontiff’s flight back to Rome was delayed after a technical issue grounded his aircraft.

Pope Leo’s return to the Vatican hit an unexpected snag on Friday after a technical issue grounded his plane, forcing him to accept a lift home from the King of Spain. The pontiff had already boarded an Iberia-operated flight in Tenerife at the end of his week-long visit to the Canary Islands when the aircraft developed a problem before departure. After being seen off by King Felipe VI and other dignitaries, Pope Leo was escorted back to the terminal alongside the Spanish monarch. Passengers said the captain later announced that an engine had likely failed to start due to strong winds and that the issue could not be resolved immediately. The Spanish government said the king offered to provide a Falcon jet from the Spanish Air Force to fly the Pope and several members of his delegation back to Rome. Other delegation members and journalists were expected to travel separately. Iberia said the plane had experienced an unspecified technical issue and that a replacement aircraft was being dispatched.