Three members of Britain's Royal Navy died on Wednesday morning after a helicopter crashed during a training exercise in southwest England. The aircraft went down in a field near Sourton, Devon, just before 4 a.m. on June 3.
The aircraft involved was a Merlin Mk4, which is primarily used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, cargo transfers, and maritime patrol. It is also used for Royal Marines' "elevated" operations. These helicopters typically have a crew of four and can carry up to 24 troops.
General Gwyn Jenkins, the navy's head, stated he was deeply saddened by the news, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the deaths as utterly tragic. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the families of the service personnel killed have been informed.
An investigation into the accident is currently underway to determine what caused the incident. Emergency services attended the scene, but the cause of the crash remains unknown. Further updates are expected to be provided in due course.