Thiruvananthapuram | A 17-member UK engineering team, deployed here since July 6 to carry out repairs and safety checks on the F-35B fighter jet, left on July 23.

A source said the UK Air Force personnel had returned after expressing gratitude to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for providing full assistance -- from the emergency landing of the British F-35B aircraft to its departure once the issues were resolved.

A UK Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant personally visited and thanked the airport authorities.

He also presented a memento from the Royal Air Force, the source said.

The 17-member team departed at around 9.30 pm on Wednesday in a Royal Air Force A400 aircraft, the source added.

The British F-35B fighter jet flew back on Tuesday after completing maintenance -- more than a month after it made an emergency landing at the international airport here and remained parked since.

The jet, which took off at 10.50 am on Tuesday, flew to Darwin, Australia.