A British Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on the evening of June 14, 2025. The event was formally acknowledged by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which said the aircraft was flying routinely outside of India’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) while operating from the UK aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. For such situations, Thiruvananthapuram was already classified as an emergency recovery airfield.
The jet’s low fuel level made it impossible for it to return to its carrier, which was located around 100 nautical miles off the coast of India, forcing the emergency landing. The F-35B was spotted and detected by the IAF’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) network after an emergency diversion was declared, and it was then cleared for retrieval at the airfield.
Around 9:30 p.m., the landing was completed safely, with no problems or aircraft damage recorded. The landing was quickly made possible by the IAF and airport officials, who made sure that all safety procedures were followed.
In order to facilitate the aircraft’s eventual return to its carrier, the IAF coordinated with pertinent entities to offer complete support for the jet’s rectification and refueling after the landing. After getting the required approvals from Indian officials, the plane was supposed to take off, but it stayed at the airport all night.
This incident happened soon after a major collaborative naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG25), which featured Indian assets including INS Tabar and a P-8I aircraft in addition to the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond. The two-day Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the western Arabian Sea demonstrated the two militaries’ increasing collaboration and shared dedication to maritime security through coordinated anti-submarine operations, tactical maneuvers, unified helicopter control, and professional exchanges.
The IAF emphasized their preparation and the strong coordination between Indian and British forces, characterizing the emergency landing and diversion as a “normal occurrence” in military aviation. The incident demonstrated the depth of India-United Kingdom bilateral defense ties as well as the operational readiness of Indian officials.
