Thiruvananthapuram: A British F-35B fighter jet that made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport due to a hydraulic issue a couple of weeks back will now be taken back as the authorities said that it can’t be repaired. The aircraft, valued at over USD 110 million, is considered one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets.

The grounded jet can’t be fixed, said UK authorities and is beyond repair.

The British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14. During an aerial exercise in the open sea, the plane was unable to land on the ship due to adverse weather conditions. It circled the sky for a long time and tried to do so, but it did not work. Meanwhile, an emergency landing was made at the Thiruvananthapuram airport after it was noticed that the fuel was running low.

After landing safely, the jet reportedly developed further engineering issues on the ground, making it unfit to return to the carrier HMS Prince of Wales. Engineers aboard the carrier assessed the damage and concluded that the aircraft cannot be repaired locally. A UK-based engineering team had arrived to assess the aircraft but returned.