Seychellen: Regierungsflieger strandet im Urlaubsparadies

A German military transport plane has been grounded in the holiday paradise of the Seychelles for several days, not due to a government member's official trip. A Bombardier Global 5000 was unexpectedly grounded on the island state in the Indian Ocean during a training flight from Egypt to the French island of Réunion, a Defense Ministry spokesperson told dpa.

"Efforts to rectify the problem are currently underway," the spokesperson said. No one else was aboard besides the crew, who were in good health. Such training flights are necessary for crew training and development, according to the information. Earlier, the "Bild" had reported on the unscheduled landing of the government plane.

The crew practiced various procedures, including flying over uncontrolled airspace, special landing procedures, and flight operations under specific climatic conditions such as near the equator, in the tropical convergence zone, and at high temperatures. The Defense Ministry is responsible for the military readiness. The aircraft transport regularly carries the Federal Chancellor, female and male ministers, the President of the Bundestag, and other representatives of the Federal Republic to domestic and foreign destinations.

Attention was drawn to the parked jet after the AfD Bundestag member Malte Kaufmann posted a photo of the aircraft on the social media platform X. The politician, who was reportedly on holiday in the Seychelles, initially suspected an unannounced trip for the Chancellor or a minister.