Thiruvananthapuram: A British F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at the International Airport here on Saturday night after running low on fuel, sources said here.
The jet, which was taken off from an aircraft carrier, landed safely at around 9.30 pm, they said on Sunday.
Airport authorities declared an emergency to ensure a smooth and safe landing, said a source.
"The pilot reported low fuel and asked for permission to land. Everything was handled quickly and professionally," the source said.
The jet remains parked at the airport for now. Its pilot later returned to the aircraft carrier aboard a helicopter, which also brought in a replacement to take over, the source added.
A Defence source downplayed the incident, calling it a routine diversion involving the F-35.
"The Indian Airforce fully aware and facilitated the aircraft for flight safety reasons. All assistance being given, and IAF is in coordination with all agencies," the source said.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
