The British Navy F-35 fighter aircraft, which had made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram Airport on June 14, departed today after undergoing successful repairs.
A UK engineering team, deployed to the site since July 6, carried out extensive maintenance and safety checks, paving the way for the jet to resume active service. More from our correspondent.
Akashvani correspondent reports that the Fighter Jet F-35 B made an emergency landing at Thiruvanathapuram on June 14th due to problems related to the hydraulic system and auxiliary power unit. The jet, which is part of British Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales, was forced to land at Thiruvanathapuram during its routine military exercises over the Arabian Sea. The Jet, initially parked in the open area for some days, was moved to the hangar. Later, a team of expert technicians flown in from the UK carried out necessary repairs and conducted thorough testing before moving out of hangar yesterday. According to airport sources, the Jet is en route to a location off the Australian coast.