The return of Pope Leo XIV to Rome took on the character of a special air operation after a technical problem prevented the aircraft originally scheduled for the papal flight from taking off from Tenerife-Los Rodeos Airport, in the Canary Islands.
According to information released by Vatican News, the Pontiff returned to Rome aboard an aircraft made available by King Felipe VI of Spain. The flight departed shortly after 6 p.m. local time, with arrival in the Italian capital expected at around 11 p.m., Rome time.
The aircraft used belongs to Wing 45 of the Spanish Air Force, the unit responsible for transporting authorities, including the royal family, government members and official delegations. During the route, the aircraft was escorted by a fighter jet from Wing 46, a unit based in the Canary Islands and tasked with air defense missions in the region.
The contrast between the white jet, bearing the inscription “Reino de España”, and the military fighter flying in formation, both above a layer of clouds, drew attention in the images. The scene reinforced the exceptional nature of the mission: it was not just a matter of replacing a commercial aircraft, but of quickly organizing a coordinated response involving official Spanish aviation assets.
Heads of state and religious leaders mobilize security and logistics protocols far beyond those of a conventional trip. When there is a technical failure in an aircraft of this type, the priority is to ensure continuity, safety and operational control, especially on high-visibility international journeys.
The Holy See team and the journalists accompanying the papal flight, also according to Vatican News, would later return on a separate aircraft provided by Iberia. The swift reaction of the Spanish Air Force was praised on social media, especially for making the official aircraft available and for the escort carried out during the departure from the Canary Islands toward the Italian capital.
Source: Vatican News / Spanish Air Force / X. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
