Saudi King left red-faced on arrival in Russia when gold escalator breaks down

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman had an unforgettable arrival in Moscow on Wednesday when his gold escalator broke down as he was exiting his private plane.

The king seemed unsure what to do when his ride malfunctioned halfway to the tarmac and spent more than 20 seconds pondering his next move.

He eventually opted to continue his descent by walking, and as an aide held on to him from behind, the king tentatively made his way the rest of the way down the stationary escalator, one step at a time.

This was the start of a four-day trip to Russia for the King – the first ever official visit to the country by a Saudi monarch.

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He and Russian president, Vladimir Putin, have been discussing trade deals, the crisis in Syria and the price of oil, among other topics.

The Saudi king is known for his inability to travel light – in March he arrived in Indonesia with 500 tons of luggage.

While there he was attended to by a reported 1,000 aides and 150 chefs, as well as being treated to a VIP toilet, built especially for him at a Jakarta mosque.