A British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet, valued at approximately £85 million ($110 million), which had been stranded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala since June 14 following an emergency landing, finally departed on July 22 after over five weeks of repairs.

The jet had made an emergency diversion due to low fuel and adverse weather conditions that prevented it from returning safely to its base aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, stationed about 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast at that time.

Soon after the emergency landing, the aircraft developed a hydraulic system fault that grounded it on the tarmac. Initial repair attempts by engineers from HMS Prince of Wales were unsuccessful, leading to the deployment of a specialist UK engineering team on July 6, which included representatives from the manufacturer and comprised about 21 technical personnel with specialised equipment to carry out repairs and safety checks at a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

The jet was moved to this hangar to minimise disruption to airport operations and to facilitate the repair process during the monsoon season.

Following approximately one week of focused repairs and thorough safety inspections, the F-35B was cleared for departure, taking off at 10:50 am and heading to Darwin, Australia. The Indian Air Force assisted during the jet’s emergency landing, refuelling, and the overall repair coordination.

The British High Commission expressed strong gratitude towards Indian authorities and airport teams for their cooperation and support throughout the prolonged repair and recovery process, reiterating the intent to continue strengthening the defence partnership between the UK and India.

The incident had attracted considerable attention and humour on social media, with Kerala Tourism even joining the fun by joking that Kerala was “the destination you’ll never want to leave”. The UK engineering team is expected to return to the UK shortly after completing the mission.

This episode showcased close logistical and diplomatic cooperation between the Indian and British defence and civil aviation authorities in managing an intricate, high-value military asset's emergency repair in a foreign country.

Agencies