Wed Jul 23 16:10:26 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

A Royal Air Force (RAF) F-35B fighter jet, which made an emergency landing in Thiruvananthapuram, India, on June 14th due to fuel shortage and bad weather, has been repaired and departed. A team of RAF engineers spent over two weeks at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport fixing serious engineering issues. The engineers left for the UK on Wednesday night aboard an Airbus A400M Atlas. Before their departure, the RAF expressed its gratitude to the airport authorities for their support during the repair process, presenting them with a military memento.

**News Article:**

**RAF Thanks Thiruvananthapuram Airport After Repairing Stranded F-35B**

**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA – July 23, 2025** – A Royal Air Force (RAF) F-35B fighter jet, grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for over a month, has been successfully repaired and returned to service. The stealth aircraft, which made an emergency landing on June 14th due to low fuel and adverse weather conditions preventing its return to HMS Prince of Wales, suffered significant engineering problems requiring specialized assistance.

A team of expert RAF engineers arrived on July 6th and spent over two weeks at the airport working on the aircraft. The repairs involved addressing what were described as “serious engineering issues” that prevented the F-35B from flying.

On Wednesday night, the engineering team departed for the UK aboard an Airbus A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, carrying with them the equipment used in the repairs.

Prior to their departure, Flight Lieutenant Thom Sayer presented Chief Airport Officer Rahul Bhatkoti with a military memento, expressing the RAF’s sincere appreciation for the support provided by the airport authorities throughout the repair process. Airport authorities, in turn, thanked Number 207 Squadron RAF for the visit and the honor of receiving the memento.

The repaired F-35B left Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning, returning to its base of operations. The incident highlights the international cooperation required in modern military operations and the importance of contingency planning for unexpected events.

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