Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s picturesque family vacation in Jamaica was snagged by issues at the end of his nine-day stay, as the government-owned plane he was travelling in broke down on Wednesday (January 3).

A report from CTN News indicated that Trudeau’s involuntary grounding was the second such incident to affect the Canadian leader since September 2023. 

It is unclear what caused the issues with the CC-144 ‘Challenger’ aircraft, though a statement from the Department of National Defence (DND) noted that a second plane, complemented with a maintenance team, was promptly sent to assist Trudeau in Jamaica. 

“A maintenance team and aircraft were then dispatched and returned the aircraft to serviceability on January 3. The aircraft remained in the area as a back-up if necessary, and the Prime Minister was able to return on the original aircraft,” Andrée-Anne Poulin, department spokesperson is quoted as saying.

Trudeau eventually departed the island around 4:23 pm Jamaica time on Thursday—flying directly from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay to the capital Ottawa.  

The Canadian PM first arrived in Jamaica on December 26, on his second official vacation with members of his immediate family, including separated wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. 

Back in September, Trudeau was stranded in New Dehli when the larger CC-150 Polaris jet transporting himself, government technocrats and invited Canadian media was grounded moments before takeoff. 

He was forced to spend two extra nights in the Indian capital after participating in the Group of 20 (G20) Summit.