Month after being grounded in Kerala, British fighter jet flies to Australia

More than a month after it made an emergency landing and remained parked at the international airport in Thiruvananthapuram, a British F-35B fighter jet flew back on Tuesday, 22 July, after completing maintenance.

The jet, which took off at 10.50 am, flew to Darwin in Australia, according to airport sources.

"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 on Tuesday.

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.

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.

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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 5-6 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 14 June, was unable to return to the carrier owing to adverse weather conditions. Prioritising safety, it diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, where it landed safely.