F-35B fighter jet: A British Royal Navy fighter jet, the F-35B, has been stuck at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since 14 June after making an emergency landing. The fighter was flying from the UK to Australia when it faced a problem with its hydraulic system and had to land suddenly in Kerala.
Thomany thought it would fly out soon, it is still parked at the airport, waiting to return to the skies. On Monday, airport staff were seen towing the jet into a hangar, but the exact date of take-off has not been shared yet.
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This F-35B is not just any jet. It’s one of the most modern stealth fighter aircraft made by Lockheed Martin, known for short take-offs and vertical landings. The aircraft was flying as part of the UK Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales but could not land back on the ship because of the fault. That’s when the pilot landed it safely in Kerala. After the emergency landing, the Indian Air Force quickly came forward and gave full help, including fuel and other support.
A team from the UK Royal Air Force flew to Kerala on 5 July to repair the jet. It was parked out in the open during the rainy season, and many pictures of the wet aircraft started appearing online reported Mint.
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These pictures soon became memes and jokes on social media X. One popular post came from the Kerala Tourism Department. They shared a photo of the jet with the caption, “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave,” which made many people laugh.
After many days of being out in the open, the F-35B was finally moved to the Air India hangar where the UK team continued working on it.
