The UK Royal Navy lost a service member and one of its Merlin HC4/4A helicopters on the evening of 4 September 2024 when the aircraft was forced to ditch during a training operation.
A Royal Navy statement issued on 5 September read, “It is with great sadness that we must report a member of the Royal Navy has died following a training incident last night,” adding that a full investigation would take place. Two other crewmembers were reported to have been rescued and avoided serious injury.
The navy explained that the incident “involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter in the English Channel near Dorset that ditched while conducting night flying exercises with [the aircraft carrier] HMS Queen Elizabeth”. The helicopter was operating with another Merlin at the time and was reported to have ditched around 20:45 BST. Two Air Sea Rescue helicopters are known to have been called to the incident.
The Merlin HC4/4A fleet was created when 25 Royal Air Force HC3/3A helicopters (19 HC3s and six HC3As) were converted for use by the Royal Navy, the first of which made its maiden flight in November 2016. These replaced the UK Commando Helicopter Force’s fleet of Sea King HC4 helicopters.
The Merlin HC4/4As, which typically have a crew of three of four, are used to transport Royal Marine Commandos, with each aircraft able to carry 24 fully equipped troops. They are operated under the Commando Helicopter Force (part of Joint Aviation Command) by 845 Naval Air Squadron and 846 Naval Air Squadron out of Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset.
