A Royal Navy aviator has died after a Merlin Mk4 helicopter ditched in the English Channel during a night training exercise with HMS Queen Elizabeth. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening off the coast of Dorset.
The helicopter, carrying a crew of three, made a deliberate emergency landing in choppy waters. Two crew members were rescued and taken to hospital as a precaution, but one was pronounced dead. The deceased was based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.
Preliminary investigations suggest the helicopter suffered a loss of power, possibly involving two or three of its engines. The Merlin Mk4 is equipped with triple redundancy systems, making such a failure exceptionally rare.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed being 'deeply saddened' by the tragedy. Defence Secretary John Healey and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key also paid tribute, with the Admiral stating he was 'intensely saddened by the tragic loss'.
A full investigation has been launched into the cause of the crash. The helicopter's flotation aids, designed to keep it afloat in water, will be examined as part of the inquiry.
