Angela Merkel in India: Plane jinxed twice

Bengaluru, Oct 6: It seems that Angela Merkel has plane trouble each time she visits in India.

While in 2011, her arrival in Delhi was delayed due to clearance from Tehran, this time around her official aircraft broke down before take off in Berlin.

Merkel who visited Delhi and Bengaluru did so in a Kurt Schumacher which is a modest Airbus 310 which was used by the German Military.

Merkel and her entourage have been using this aircraft after her plane broke down.

The specially equipped Airbus 340- Konrad Addenauer named after the first post war chancellor broke down before take off at Berlin on Sunday.

Merkel and her delegation were forced to fly in the Kurt Schumacher which is a military cargo plane which lacks in comfort.

According to reports, Merkel and her aides sat at the front while the rest of the delegation were at the back.

This is the second time that Merkel is having plane trouble while flying to New Delhi.

In 2011, when she had visited India. Tehran had delayed permission for aircraft to fly over Iran. This delayed her arrival in New Delhi.

As a result of Tehran's refusal, the aircraft had to turn back, circle over Turkey. Permission was granted just before the aircraft ran out of fuel.

This had blown into a full fledged diplomatic row.

Berlin registered a strong complaint with the foreign ministry of Iran and termed the actions as a breach of international protocol.

The issue however died down later.

OneIndia News