Safe airport in South India: British fighter jet F-35B Lightning II makes emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A British Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram domestic airport while flying over the Arabian Sea. The pilot was seeking permission for an emergency landing as his fuel was running low. The plane landed at around 10.30 pm on Saturday. An emergency was declared at the airport in advance and security was tightened.

The aircraft took off from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, a British naval vessel. The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy's Carrier Strike Group had conducted a joint naval exercise in the western Arabian Sea two days ago. HMS Prince of Wales came close to the Indian coast as part of this. The aircraft carrier was in the international shipping channel 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. Due to rough seas, the aircraft could not land on the ship and circled for a long time. The pilot sought permission to land in India as the fuel level was low. The IAF granted permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram airport.

The aircraft was allowed to land at Thiruvananthapuram as it is one of the safest airports in South India. The Indian Air Force, Navy and airport authorities coordinated the operations. Permission was also granted for refueling at the request of the British High Commission. No damage or technical malfunction was found. The aircraft was inspected by the Air Force. There was only one pilot on board. The pilot was shifted to the restroom as he did not have immigration clearance. The aircraft will return to the ship once the weather conditions improve. The F-35B Lightning II aircraft is a fifth-generation American-made supersonic fighter jet.