Pope Leo XIV was briefly forced to disembark from an aircraft after a technical problem delayed his return flight from Tenerife to Rome, according to CNN International.
The incident occurred aboard an Iberia Airways flight preparing to depart Tenerife when the captain informed passengers that a technical fault had been detected, making it unsafe for the aircraft to take off as scheduled.
Following the announcement, the pontiff and members of his entourage were seen leaving the aircraft while engineers and airline officials assessed the situation.
CNN International reported that the flight was grounded as a precautionary measure to allow the technical issue to be addressed before departure.
There were no reports of injuries or immediate safety concerns beyond the identified fault. Airline officials are expected to ensure that all necessary checks are completed before the aircraft resumes operations.
The unexpected delay briefly disrupted the pope’s travel plans, but the precautionary action underscored standard aviation safety procedures, which require aircraft to remain grounded whenever technical issues capable of affecting flight safety are detected.
Neither the Vatican nor Iberia Airways immediately disclosed the specific nature of the fault.
