An RAF F-35 fighter jet, which had been stuck at an airport in southern India for more than a month, sparking memes on social media, took off on Tuesday after being repaired by a team of UK engineers, officials said.
One of the world’s most advanced stealth fighter jets, with a price tag of around €100 million, was grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern state of Kerala due to technical snags.
The aircraft had hydraulic issues and problems with its auxiliary power unit (APU), which were eventually fixed, the airport official said.
The jet will fly to a UK aircraft carrier in Australia's Darwin, according to reports.
The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea in June when it ran into bad weather and could not return to HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier. The aircraft diverted to the capital of Kerala and landed safely in mid-June.
“A UK F-35B aircraft, which landed following an emergency diversion on 14 June, departed today from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. A UK engineering team, deployed since 6 July, completed the repairs and safety checks, allowing the aircraft to resume active service," a UK High Commission spokesperson said in a statement.
“The UK remains very grateful for the support and collaboration of the Indian authorities and airport teams throughout the repair and recovery process”, the statement added.
'I don't want to leave'
The stranded US-made military jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, triggered a slew of memes, especially in India.
A Kerala tourism department social media post showed the plane on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees with a fictitious five-star review: “Kerala is such an amazing place, I don’t want to leave. Definitely recommend."
The top official at the tourism department, K Biju, said the post was in “good humour”.
“It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,” Biju said.
One meme posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of residents against a scenic background, while another also showed the jet converted into a boat house.
Earlier, fears arose that the aircraft could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane if repairs were unsuccessful. However, the UK Ministry of Defence dismissed the speculation.
