Three Royal Air Force (RAF) planes were forced to conduct an emergency landing in Brazil yesterday, according to local media reports.
The emergency landing, caused after one or more of the aircraft declared an emergency whilst flying over the Atlantic Ocean, caused a partial closure at Galeão Airport.
According to reports, three Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft are believed to have landed whilst flying from or to the Falkland Islands.
They were accompanied by two other aircraft, which are thought to have been refuelling the planes as they were forced to divert.
The five planes landed at around 4 p.m. local time, and fire trucks were dispatched to meet them on the runway. However, it is not believed that any emergency action was taken.
The incident, combined with another simultaneous issue at Santos Dumont Airport, temporarily disrupted Rio de Janeiro’s airspace.
The RAF routinely operate in or around the Falkland Islands as part of a permanent deterrent in defence of the island.
RAF aircraft ferry troops to and from the island and contribute to tri-service exercises in the area.
Nearby Ascension Island houses a permanent station for the RAF, which serves as a vital “stepping stone” between Britain and the disputed territory.
In recent years, Argentina has increased its rhetoric regarding their hopes of regaining sovereignty of the islands, which they call “Las Malvinas”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reemphasised the nation’s commitment to maintaining British sovereignty on the islands. According to the outcome of the most recent referendum on the matter and a recent YouGov poll, this has popular support amongst the island’s inhabitants and the majority of the British public.
