NEW DELHI: The British F-35B Lightning fighter jet that made an emergency landing in Kerala over a month ago has finally taken off. The Royal Navy aircraft, part of the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales carrier fleet, had remained grounded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport since June 14 due to a hydraulic fault.The £85 million stealth jet was undergoing repairs by a UK technical team and had been moved to the Air India hangar during the monsoon-soaked downtime. With repairs complete, the jet was rolled out of the hangar and flew back on Tuesday. The maintenance crew will return separately, news agency PTI reported.The aircraft was kept under tight security by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and a British crew since its unscheduled landing. The Indian Air Force had earlier stated that Thiruvananthapuram had been designated as an emergency recovery airfield for allied aircraft, and extended full logistical support for the aircraft’s recovery.The UK ministry of defence had earlier said, “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.”A team of 25 engineers from the UK Royal Air Force had flown in aboard a military Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft to undertake the repairs. The team brought specialist equipment to address a suspected hydraulic issue, after earlier repair attempts by HMS Prince of Wales engineers failed.The jet, known for its short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, was repaired under an arrangement between the UK and Indian authorities. British officials had earlier considered dismantling and airlifting the aircraft back home if on-site repairs proved unworkable.The fighter’s extended stay in Kerala had captured public imagination, inspiring social media humour and even a viral post from Kerala Tourism: “Kerala, the destination you’ll never want to leave.” The UK government thanked India for its “continued support and collaboration” throughout the episode.