Repairs finally begin on British fighter jet stuck in India
Britain's High Commission in India said engineers had reached Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala, and that the stranded Lightning jet had been moved to a hangar.
'UPDATE: A team of UK engineers has arrived in India to commence repairs on the UK F35B aircraft. Repairs are underway on the aircraft, which has now been moved to the maintenance hangar. We are grateful for the continued support and collaboration of the Indian authorities,' the British High Commission in India said in a statement.
The F-35B Lightning jet encountered bad weather on 14 June while flying about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala in southern India and was unable to return to its aircraft carrier. The pilots of the aircraft instead asked for permission for an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram.
The jet's extended stay in India has become a source of growing speculation about whether it constitutes a security risk, with the jet packed full of state-of-the-art stealth technology to which India does not currently have access.
It also sparked a widely-shared meme from the Kerala tourist board. 'UK F-35B: Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend,' the ad read, showing the fighter jet reviewing the state with five stars.
As it awaited repairs, six crew members from the F-35B stayed at the airport working in shifts to keep a close eye on the fighter jet around the clock, according to the airport authorities.
British officials told The Independent they have no concerns about espionage and are grateful to their Indian allies for keeping the jet safe while it awaits essential repairs.
On Monday, the F-35B was pictured inside a hangar facility at the international airport. Photos showed it was towed inside the hangar by a tug vehicle.
Another photo showed a Royal Air Force Atlas C1 military transport aircraft also at the Indian airport, which was used to bring over the team of British engineers.
On Sunday, British officials said the UK engineers were 'carrying specialist equipment necessary for the movement and repair process'.
The F-35B Lightning, built by the American aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, is one of the most advanced fighters in the armouries of Nato states and a few select allies.
It is packed with state-of-the-art technology, including sensors, mission systems and stealth features that allow it to operate in hostile environments without being detected.
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