Plane Carrying Merkel To G-20 Makes Emergency Landing

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 19: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (not pictured) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel give a joint press conference at the German Chancellery on November 19, 2015 in in Berlin, Germany. Austrian Chancellor Faymann has called for more intensive border checks on migrants in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, as he and Chancellor Merkel also called for an increase in help amongst EU countries for the refugee crisis. (Photo by Zick,Jochen-Pool/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 19: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (not pictured) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel give a joint press conference at the German Chancellery on November 19, 2015 in in Berlin, Germany.... BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 19: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (not pictured) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel give a joint press conference at the German Chancellery on November 19, 2015 in in Berlin, Germany. Austrian Chancellor Faymann has called for more intensive border checks on migrants in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, as he and Chancellor Merkel also called for an increase in help amongst EU countries for the refugee crisis. (Photo by Zick,Jochen-Pool/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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BERLIN (AP) — A plane carrying German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the Group of 20 meeting in Argentina was forced to make an unscheduled landing Thursday night in western Germany, reportedly due to technical problems.

The government Airbus, which was en route to Buenos Aires, turned around over the Netherlands about an hour into the flight, the German news agency dpa reported.

The aircraft landed safely in Cologne, with journalists on board reporting no injuries.

Several firefighting vehicles were on stand-by as the A340-300 VIP landed in Cologne at 9 p.m. (2000 GMT), because the plane had more fuel on board than is customary during landing, dpa reported.

A replacement German air force plane was being prepared to carry Merkel and her entourage to the G-20 meeting, which starts Friday in the Argentine capital.

Cologne-Bonn airport has a military base called Cologne-Wahn that is adjacent to the civilian airport.

According to German military blog Augengeradeaus.net, the aircraft was transmitting a 7600 transponder code, indicating a radio failure.

Merkel was told of the need to turn around while she was holding a background briefing for journalists accompanying her to Buenos Aires.

The G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires comes amid growing economic uncertainty and global displeasure with U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policy.

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