No fix in sight! British F-35 jet still in Thiruvananthapuram, American experts to reach capital city soon

SHANGHUMUGHAM: The American-made F-35 British fighter jet that made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram airport is yet to fix its technical fault. The pilot and two engineers are with the plane. CISF has provided a security blanket for the superior multirole combat aircraft. Earlier, it was stated that the jet would leave the airport on Tuesday, but the fault remained unsolved, leading to an extended stay.

It is learned that an American crew will soon land in Thiruvananthapuram to fix the fault. Hydraulic fluid, including fuel, will have to be brought from abroad. The plane landed in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) informed the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which is anchored 100 nautical miles away, of the technical fault. The Royal Air Force (RAF) carried out repairs with the assistance of RAF engineers, but the result fell short of perfection. The helicopter returned to HMS Prince of Wales with the first pilot, Mike, after assigning the new pilot, Freddie, to fix the problem. Initially, Mike was reluctant to leave the aircraft. He was later provided accommodation facility by the Air Force.

The Indian Navy and the British Navy were conducting a joint military exercise called PASSEX in the Arabian Sea. The aircraft was taking off from a warship as part of the exercise. Due to adverse weather conditions, the plane was unable to land. With fuel running out, the pilot sought permission to land in Thiruvananthapuram.