Washington DC - A plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was forced to make an emergency landing in Britain on Wednesday due to a crack in the aircraft's windshield.

Hegseth was returning to the US after attending a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels when his plane made the unscheduled landing at an unnamed airport in Britain, a spokesperson said.

"The plane landed based on standard procedures and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media.

"All good. Thank God. Continue mission!" Hegseth posted in reply.

At the NATO meeting, Hegseth called for member countries to contribute more military aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion.

According to the BBC, the plane broadcast a "7700 squawk code" after it dropped in altitude off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The code is used to signify some kind of emergency on board.

Earlier this year, a plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Munich suffered a similar incident when a cracked windshield forced it to turn back toward Washington.