The plane carrying Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had to make an emergency landing after leaving Washington DC on Tuesday evening
“Our top priority is to provide support to the injured member and request that their privacy be respected,” a statement said.
Officials told local FOX 2 that a crew member was hit in the head by luggage and fell from an overhead bin.
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President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a meeting in the White House Cabinet Room, Monday, October 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Evan Vucci)
That crew member reportedly suffered a concussion and was taken to hospital.
Albanese’s plane left Joint Base Andrews at 5:15 p.m., FOX 2 reported, and the emergency landing occurred around 7:45 p.m.
President Donald Trump and the Albanians signed a crucial minerals deal at the White House on Monday as the US eyed the continent’s rich rare earths. This comes at a time when China is imposing stricter regulations on the export of its own crucial minerals abroad.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gestures during a press conference in Sydney, Australia, December 12, 2024. (Mark Baker, file)
The two leaders described the agreement as an $8.5 billion deal between the allies. Trump said it was negotiated for months.
“In about a year, we’ll have so many critical minerals and rare earths that you won’t know what to do with them,” Trump said, bragging about the deal. “They’re worth two dollars.”
Xenotime is a rare earth element found in Australia. (Getty Images)
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Albanese added that the agreement takes the US-Australia relationship “to the next level.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
