Investigations into the cause of the naval helicopter crash are ongoing

According to the Royal Navy, the Merlin helicopter crashed off the coast of Dorset on Wednesday evening during a training exercise with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

There were three crew members on board at the time of the incident, two of whom were rescued and taken to hospital, the Defense Ministry said.

The family of the deceased, whose name was not disclosed, has been informed.

Aviation expert David Learmount described the Merlin Mk4 as a “highly advanced” and “quite resilient” helicopter, and said that such an incident was “very unusual”.

Commenting on the investigation into the cause of the incident, he told PA: “If this is a technical incident, they will check all other helicopters of this type to make sure this does not happen to them.”

“If they have a reason for it, they will say we should ground everyone else until we know why it happened.”

Lloyd Hatton, MP for South Dorset, said: “I am deeply saddened to hear that a member of the Royal Navy has died off our coast.”

“My sincere condolences go out to the family following this tragic incident.

“We have a deep and long-standing relationship with the Royal Navy in South Dorset. I know many of my constituents will be devastated by this sad news.”

Edward Morello, MP for West Dorset, said: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of a member of our Royal Navy in the English Channel last night.

“My thoughts are with the soldier’s family, friends and colleagues.

“Like many others, I want answers as to how this tragedy happened and what lessons can be learned from it to prevent future loss of life.

“I would like to thank everyone, including the Coast Guard, who were involved in the search and rescue operation.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote in a message on X: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic death of a member of the Royal Navy.”

“My thoughts are with the family and their loved ones during this painful time.”

There are currently two types of Merlin helicopters in service with the Royal Navy: the Mark 2 (Mk2) and the Mark 4 (Mk4).

The MK4 features several modifications for use by the Royal Marines. These include a quick abseil beam that allows rapid deployment of special forces from the main cabin door.