A Royal Navy helicopter crash-landed in a field in Devon, UK, early on Wednesday morning, June 3, during a routine exercise, killing three members of navy staff. A wave of tributes to the victims has followed the incident, and investigations to assess the circumstances are underway.
Crash in the Early Hours
On June 3, at roughly 4 a.m., a naval helicopter crashed in a field at Sourton Down, located near Okehampton. In the incident, three navy personnel were killed. A major emergency response was triggered by the incident, with Devon and Cornwall police attending the scene along with firefighters and a range of other emergency services, with even some specialist resources deployed for support, including an Environmental Protection Unit, Welfare Unit, Command Unit and an Urban Search and Rescue team.
In regard to the crash, a Royal Navy spokesperson said:
“It is with deep sadness that we can confirm three members of the Royal Navy have died during a helicopter training exercise. Our thoughts and sympathies are with their families and friends at this sad time.”
The scene of the accident is situated close to a military facility in Okehampton, whereby Commando Helicopter Force crews are trained to operate Merlin helicopters, like the model involved in the crash incident, a Merlin MK4. Helicopters of this type are considered to be key aircraft vehicles in everyday military operations. They typically operate with a crew of four and are able to carry up to 24 troops, meaning that they are usually utilised for troop deployment, training, and transport missions.
Commiserations and Investigations
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, several road closures were put in place on and around the A386 and A30 Sourton Cross zone, and, according to Traffic England, disruption was expected in the area until around 12.30 p.m. the same day.
The incident has resulted in a flood of support and sympathy from the military community, the general public, and the government. A number of prominent figures have offered their condolences to the families of the victims, including John Healy of the Secretary of Defence and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who described the incident as a tragic accident.
It has been confirmed that an investigation is in progress to examine the conditions surrounding the crash, verified by the head of the Navy, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, who also added in a statement that he was deeply saddened by the news.
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