The incident occurred on the evening of 3/5, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was en route to Armenia to attend a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). "The delegation will spend the night in Turkey before continuing its journey to Armenia in the morning", the Spanish government stated, without disclosing specific details about the incident.

EFE news agency previously cited sources from the Spanish Prime Minister's Office indicating that the Airbus A310 carrying Sanchez had to make an emergency landing in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, due to a technical malfunction. Officials described the incident as "minor," but the crew acted according to standard procedures.

Prime Minister Sanchez in Cyprus in 4/. Photo: AFP

This is not the first time the Spanish prime minister has faced such an issue. He was previously unable to attend a conference on Ukraine held in France in 9/2025 for a similar reason. On that occasion, the Falcon series plane carrying Sanchez had to turn back mid-journey and return to Madrid due to a technical issue, forcing the Spanish prime minister to participate in the event virtually.

The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, 47 m long, with a 44 m wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 164 tons, a range of 9,540 km, and capacity for 243 passengers. The aircraft first took flight in 1982 and ceased production in 1998, with a total of 255 units manufactured.

The A310 carrying Sanchez belongs to the Spanish Air Force's 45th Air Group. This unit is responsible for the travel of the royal family, prime minister, and senior officials. The 45th Air Group also transports personnel and supplies on international missions, and performs aerial refueling.

A Spanish Air Force Airbus A310 on 11/4. Photo: Plane Spotters

The unit operates two customized A310 aircraft, five Dassault Falcon 900 jets, and three A330 aircraft.

Meanwhile, world leaders began arriving in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, on 3/5 to attend the 8th European Political Community (EPC) summit. The summit is themed "Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe."

The event begins today and involves leaders from nearly 50 countries, including all European Union (EU) members. They will directly discuss key issues, such as Middle East tensions.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Anadolu, Euronews)