Australian Prime Minister’s Aircraft Diverts to St. Louis for Emergency Landing Post-Washington Departure

On Tuesday night, the aircraft transporting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had to make an unscheduled landing shortly after departing from Washington, D.C.

The Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A was rerouted and touched down safely at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri, as confirmed by an Australian Defence representative speaking to Fox News.

In a statement, the spokesperson emphasized, “Our utmost concern is the well-being of the injured crew member, and we ask that their privacy be respected during this time.”

Reports from local FOX 2 indicated that a crew member sustained a head injury from luggage that apparently fell from an overhead compartment.

That crew member reportedly suffered a concussion and was taken to the hospital.

Albanese’s plane had left Joint Base Andrews at 5:15 p.m., FOX 2 reported, and the emergency landing happened around 7:45 p.m.

President Donald Trump and Albanese signed a critical minerals deal at the White House on Monday as the U.S. had been eyeing the continent’s rich rare-earth resources. This, at a time when China is imposing tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals abroad.

The two leaders described the agreement as an $8.5 billion deal between the allies. Trump said it had been negotiated over several months.

“In about a year from now we’ll have so much critical mineral and rare earth that you won’t know what to do with them,” said Trump, boasting about the deal. “They’ll be worth $2.”

Albanese added that the agreement takes the U.S.-Australia relationship “to the next level.”