 "A British F-35B fighter jet, which has been stranded since June 14, 2025 is seen at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, in the southern state of Kerala, India, on June 26, 2025. AP")
The British Royal Navy F-35 fighter jet, which had been grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala for over a month due to a technical snag, finally took off for the United Kingdom on Tuesday.
The advanced jet, valued at over $110 million, was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport on June 14 after developing a technical malfunction and fuel shortage. It had remained grounded since then after a month long repair and maintenance work making it fit for flying.
Airport authorities declared an emergency to ensure a safe landing. Soon after, the £85-million fighter was towed from the runway to an Air India hangar, where it was kept for repairs.
Although British aviation engineers arrived shortly after the incident, initial attempts to fix the issue were unsuccessful. The jet had also reported low fuel levels at the time of landing, further escalating the urgency of the repairs.
The jet was part of the UK Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. According to reports, it was on a routine sortie when it encountered a technical fault, preventing it from landing back on the carrier.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAfter five weeks of technical work inside the hangar, the aircraft was later cleared to fly back to the United Kingdom.