Royal Navy F-35B grounded for third day

The Royal British Navy helicopter MJS-101 landed at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Tuesday with supporting crew to fix the glitches of the Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet that made an emergency landing here on June 14. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet of the U.K. government that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on the night of June 14 remains grounded for the third consecutive day after it developed a technical snag. According to sources, the combat jet developed technical glitches when it was forced to make an emergency landing after running on low fuel.

The Royal British Navy helicopter MJS-101 has landed here on Tuesday with supporting staff to assist the pilot and fix the glitches. The whole crew has been spending their time inside the emergency medical centre at the airport. The airport authorities have also arranged a ground handling agency to assist them upon their request. The sources also refuted the reports of the pilot of the fighter jet sitting near the jet on the first day. The pilot sat inside the apron office in the vicinity of the jet, they said.

The food and accommodation of the crew is being arranged by the airport authorities.

Operating from the U.K. aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the jet was undertaking routine flying outside the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone, with Thiruvananthapuram earmarked as the emergency recovery airfield, on June 14. However, the weather turned rough in the Indian Ocean, making it difficult for the fighter jet to land on the aircraft carrier. It then had to request an emergency landing here as it was running on low fuel.

Published - June 17, 2025 09:28 pm IST