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A British F-35 fighter jet from the UK’s Prince of Wales carrier group made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport due to low fuel after rough seas prevented its return to the carrier off the Kerala coast.
New Delhi: A British F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala on Saturday night due to low fuel.
Part of the UK’s Prince of Wales aircraft carrier group, the F-35 fighter jet reportedly failed to return to its carrier, approximately 100 nautical miles off the Kerala coast, due to rough sea conditions.
“It requested permission to land at Thiruvananthapuram with low fuel,” an official said.
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The official further added that all the SOPs are being followed at the airport.
It must be noted that the UK’s Prince of Wales aircraft carrier group is currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific region and just a day ago conducted maritime exercise with the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea, off the Kerala coast.
The Lockheed Martin-built F-35 Lightning fighter aircraft is believed to be the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world.
The company says that the fighter gives pilots an advantage against any adversary and enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.
“Diversion by F-35 was a routine occurrence. The Indian Air Force was fully aware and facilitated the aircraft's landing purely for flight safety reasons. All necessary assistance is being provided, and the IAF is coordinating with all relevant agencies.” — IAF Spokesperson
Indian Navy and Royal Navy exercise in the Arabian Sea
Day back, HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, and frigate HMS Richmond took part in a two-day passage exercise on 9 and 10 June alongside Indian Navy submarine INS Tabar and P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The drill included anti-submarine warfare operations, tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck helicopter control, and officer exchanges between the two navies.
According to the Indian Navy, the exercise “underscores the deepening cooperation between the two navies and showcases shared commitment to maritime security and robust bilateral ties.”
The deployment of HMS Prince of Wales marks the first time the 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier has operated in the Indian Ocean and beyond, with her embarked F-35B jets, Merlin helicopters and 4,500 personnel.
She is accompanied by destroyer HMS Dauntless, frigates from the UK, Canada, Norway, and Spain, and a range of air and support elements.
