Royal Navy F-35B fighter plane makes emergency landing in India after bad weather prevented it from landing on HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier
A Royal Navy F-35B fighter jet had to make an emergency landing in India during routine flying from the UK's flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.
The Indian Air Force said on Sunday that the jet was flying outside of the Indian Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) when it was forced to divert and land.
The jet was cleared to land at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport late on June 14 after declaring 'a diversion off an emergency', the air force said in a statement.
The Indian Air Force said on Sunday afternoon it was providing support to the Royal Navy plane 'for the rectification and subsequent return of the aircraft'.
A Royal Navy source told MailOnline that the plane was unable to return to the £3.5billion aircraft carrier due to adverse weather conditions.
'Prioritising safety, the aircraft diverted to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in India, where it landed safely and without incident,' they said.
'It is standard practice for aircraft to carry sufficient fuel reserves to accommodate such diversions when necessary.'
HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group reached the Indian Ocean last week as part of Operation Highmast, Britain's largest naval deployment in years.
It will join with the Indian military for port stops and operations before continuing with its eight-month deployment onto south-east Asia, Japan and Australia.
The deployment has already seen the CSG operate in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
The goal is to reaffirm the UK's commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry, the Royal Navy said in April.
Upwards of 4,500 British military personnel will be involved in the operation, including nearly 600 RAF and 900 soldiers alongside 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines.
HMS Prince of Wales was accompanied through the Mediterranean at the end of April by the £1.6billion nuclear submarine HMS Astute, the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless, and submarine-hunting frigate, HMS Richmond en route to the Red Sea.
Also part of the task group are British tankers RFA Tideforce and RFA Tidespring, which carry critical supplies to replenish the fleet at sea.
Operation Highmast marks the second deployment of the UK's CSG.
The first, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021, took place against the backdrop of a world in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic.
The 2025 mission, commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales, occurs with a changed world order and even more volatile geo-political situation.
Separately, British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer told reporters travelling with him on his plane to Canada for G7 talks on Saturday that Britain was 'moving assets to the region, including jets... for contingency support' amid the burgeoning conflict between Israel and Iran.
The jets are Eurofighter Typhoon planes, according to Britain's defence ministry. Additional refuelling aircraft have also been deployed from UK bases, according to Downing Street.
Royal Air Force fighter planes are already in the region as part of Operation Shader, the codename given to Britain's contribution to the international campaign against the Islamic State group.
RAF Typhoon jets aided Israel in April 2024 when they shot down an unspecified number of drones fired by Iran, as confirmed by the UK's then-prime minister, Rishi Sunak.
Senior officers are now said to be considering whether RAF Akrotiri, on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, and the surrounding airspace require additional protection, particularly if the conflict continues to escalate.
In that scenario, military sources told the Mail on Sunday
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