Pope Leo XIV suffers delay in leaving Spain

Pope Leo’s return to the Vatican has been delayed after a technical problem affected his aircraft in Tenerife.

The pontiff had already boarded the plane when the issue was discovered. Spain’s King Felipe stepped in, offering the Pope the use of his Falcon jet for the journey back to Rome.

The rest of the papal delegation travelled separately on a replacement aircraft.

And staying with Spain, the Pope’s week-long visit included major events in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where he focused much of his message on migration and support for vulnerable communities.

Despite the travel disruption, Vatican officials say the visit was a success and all planned engagements went ahead.

Photos: Spanish Royal Family