According to CNN, on the afternoon of September 1st, local time, an airplane carrying U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Mark Warnke and other senior Homeland Security officials had a engine failure and was forced to make an emergency landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington. The plane landed safely, with no injuries reported.
According to flight tracking websites, the aircraft that Marlin was on was a US Coast Guard C-37A plane. This military version of the Gulfstream V business jet was originally designed for civilian use but has been converted for military use, primarily used to transport senior US government officials. The plane took off from a military airport near Columbus, Georgia, and encountered a malfunction after flying for about one and a half hours.
On September 2nd, local time, the plane carrying U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markel made an emergency landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington. CNN
According to the released audio recording, Pilot C-37A informed the air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport in Washington via radio that the right engine of the aircraft had lost power and they needed to land at that airport immediately. The pilot also reported that there were 14 people on board and that there was enough fuel to fly for two and a half hours.
Marlin then confirmed on social media that the plane he was on made an emergency landing. He wrote, "The US Coast Guard pilot made a single-engine landing as if it were a routine procedure, without any panic, just with professionalism. After the plane landed, the pilot told me that this was also their first time doing such a thing. We are really lucky to have such excellent pilots."
American Broadcasting Company (CBS) reported that the Coast Guard aircraft are facing issues related to excessive service life. In a statement last year, the Department of Homeland Security revealed that one of the Coast Guard aircraft was over 22 years old, and had serious problems with aging avionics and communication systems.
The US Department of Homeland Security is seeking to upgrade the Coast Guard’s business jets. According to CBS, in October 2025, the US Coast Guard increased the budget for purchasing two new Gulfstream G700 business jets from $50 million to $200 million. This has drawn attention and questions from many members of the U.S. Congress. The first new aircraft was delivered in January this year. It is unclear why Marlin did not use the new aircraft during her trips.
