Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 22: The British F-35B fighter jet flew back on Tuesday after completing maintenance, more than a month after it made an emergency landing at the international airport here, and remained parked since then.
The jet, which took off at 10.50 am, flew to Darwin in Australia, airport sources said.
“A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on June 14, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since July 06 completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service,” a British High Commission spokesperson said.
In a statement, the spokesperson said the UK remains very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process.
“We look forward to continuing to strengthen our defence partnership with India,” the statement said.
The jet was brought out of the hangar and kept at the airport bay on Monday.
Sources said a 14-member team of engineers from the UK, who carried out repairs on the fighter jet, will depart on Wednesday aboard a special aircraft, the Globemaster.
They said the British jet was kept at the Air India hangar throughout its stay.
While the airport sources confirmed that landing charges, daily rent, and parking fees amounting to Rs 5 – Rs 6 lakh had been paid, there was no confirmation regarding any payment made to Air India.
The British Royal Navy F-35B Lightning fighter jet is part of the UK’s most advanced stealth fleet.
Known to be one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world and worth over USD 110 million, the jet remained grounded at the international airport here since June 14 after it developed a technical snag.
The aircraft, which took off from HMS Prince of Wales on June 14, was unable to return to the carrier due to adverse weather conditions.
Prioritising safety, it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, where it landed safely.
Subsequently, the aircraft developed an engineering issue whilst on the ground, which temporarily delayed its return to the Carrier Strike Group.
Engineers from HMS Prince of Wales assessed the aircraft and determined that the support of a UK-based engineering team was required.
The UK accepted India’s offer to move the aircraft to the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
To ensure minimal disruption to regular airport operations, it was decided that the aircraft would be moved once the UK engineering teams arrived with specialist equipment.
The emergency landing by the British Royal Navy fighter jet at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport became the subject of countless memes, and even turned into a marketing opportunity for Kerala Tourism.
A poster shared by Kerala Tourism on its official ‘X’ handle went viral on social media.
It featured a stylised image of the fighter jet parked against a dreamy Kerala backdrop — coconut trees and lush greenery.
A playful caption read: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend.” The quote was humorously attributed to “UK F-35B.”(PTI)
