Wing of Zion, Israel's official state aircraft, was grounded after its wing was damaged while being towed to a hanger.
It is estimated that the damage will be repaired by Thursday. President Isaac Herzog will travel on it next week for a state visit to Serbia and Albania. In two weeks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel on it to the US to address the UN General Assembly.
The director of the aircraft department of the Prime Minister's Office stated: "While towing the aircraft into the hanger, as a result of human error, the wing-tip cover hit the hanger door. The incident was reported to the Civil Aviation Authority, was investigated, and lessons were learned. The wing was inspected by Israel Aerospace Industries engineers and the wing-tip cover was replaced. Malfunctions are not rare in airplanes. When malfunctions are discovered they are treated per Boeing's procedures by the IAI team."
This is the second malfunction in the state jet in two months. In July, five days before the Prime Minister's trip to the US, a crack was discovered in the windshield of the plane's cockpit upon landing in Washington during the rehearsal flight. The malfunction did not impair the plane's ability to return to Israel.