John Kerry cancels Europe visit after biking accident in France
US SECRETARY of State John Kerry has cancelled visits to Madrid and Paris and returned home to the US after breaking his leg in a cycling accident in the French Alps.
Kerry broke his leg in an accident while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route near Scionzier. The injury is not life-threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, his spokesman John Kirby said.
He was flown by helicopter to Geneva’s main hospital, where he was in a stable condition. Kerry, 71, had been due to travel to Madrid yesterday in his first visit to Spain as secretary of state, to sign a bilateral defence agreement that would allow the US to have permanent use of Moron air base, near Seville.
He had then been due today to fly to Paris for a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi and members of a US-supported coalition fighting the militant group Islamic State. Kerry was to return home Boston yesterday.