A Royal Navy serviceman has tragically died during a night-flying training exercise in the English Channel after a Merlin Mk4 helicopter ditched into the water near Dorset, the Royal Navy has confirmed.
The Merlin Mk4, one of the Navy’s most advanced amphibious battlefield helicopters, was participating in exercises with the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier when the incident occurred on Wednesday night. The helicopter, carrying three crew members, made an emergency water landing, known as “ditching.”
Two crew members were successfully rescued and taken to the hospital, where their injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening. However, the third crew member, based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, was tragically killed in the incident.
A Royal Navy spokesperson confirmed there were no other fatalities or serious injuries related to the accident. The Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into the cause of the ditching.
Defence Secretary John Healey expressed his condolences and confirmed the investigation is already underway. Today is a day to mourn the loss of a valued Navy personnel and think about his family, friends, and colleagues,” he told the BBC during a visit to the HMS Diamond destroyer in Portsmouth. For everyone connected with the armed forces, this is news that people dread.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed his sorrow, saying, “I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of a member of the Royal Navy.
The First Sea Lord Ben Key added that he was “intensely saddened” by the incident, which has sent shockwaves through the naval community.
The precise location of the ditching has not been fully disclosed by the Ministry of Defence, but satellite imagery suggests the HMS Queen Elizabeth was about 20 miles south of Lyme Regis in Dorset during the time of the accident. Another Merlin helicopter was reportedly in the air during the exercise, but no further incidents were reported.
The Merlin Mk4 helicopter, renowned for its versatility and power, can carry up to 24 troops and is powered by three engines. It has been deployed in various missions worldwide by the Royal Marines. This is the first major incident involving a Merlin helicopter since 2010, when another Mk variant suffered a heavy landing in Afghanistan. No casualties were reported in that earlier accident.
The HMS Queen Elizabeth remains operational at sea, and the Royal Navy continues to assess the situation while the investigation proceeds.
