No immediate return for British F-35 fighter jet from Thiruvananthapuram airport

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The return journey of a British fighter jet that made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram airport is likely to be further delayed. The American-made F-35 fighter jet landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport after running out of fuel during a military exercise in the Arabian Sea.

A technical glitch was identified in the jet’s hydraulic system, and it needs to be fixed for the jet to depart from Thiruvananthapuram airport. The plane's pilot and three technicians are continuing their efforts to fix the problem.

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.