President’s jet turns back to JFK

The plane carrying the president of the Republic of Cyprus was forced to turn back to the airport due to a windscreen problem in the cockpit.

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According to reports, the plane took off Saturday afternoon at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport and was heading to London, when the pilot determined there was risk due to a crack in the windshield. A decision was made to turn the plane around and land at JFK as a precautionary measure, as London was farther away than New York.

The president and his entourage were expected to check back in at the same hotel in New York until the problem could be fixed.

Anastasiades had gone to New York last week to attend the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations, where he reiterated his commitment to supporting a new UN effort in peace talks to reunite the divided island of Cyprus.