Royal Navy Merlin Mk4 ditching kills one crew member
The Merlin Mk4 with its modifications for use by elite forces. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
A ditching is a deliberate emergency landing on water, not a crash.
A Royal Navy helicopter ditching off the coast of Dorset in the UK has cost one service member their life, but two other crew members were rescued and were apparently unharmed after the incident.
The crew were aboard a Merlin Mk4 helicopter undertaking night-flying exercises during training with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The victim has not been named but their immediate family has been informed. The crew member who died was based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, a station in Somerset.
Related Articles
Safran continues to support UK Merlin helicopters
A ditching is technically different from a crash. The technical definition is actively helpful in adding detail to the course of events, because according to the Civil Aviation Authority, a ditching takes place when there is a “deliberate emergency landing on water”, rather than an “uncontrolled impact”.
The Royal Navy said a full investigation into the ditching would take place and expressed its “great sadness” at the loss of life.
The Merlin Mk4 is generally modified for use by elite forces, most notably the Royal Marines. It can fly at a speed of 160 knots (184mph/296km/h) and has a range of 750 nautical miles. Its modifications include a special fast roping beam that lets special forces out of the main cabin door at speed, for rapid deployment as necessary. These features differentiate the Mk4 physically from the Mk2, which is principally used in anti-submarine combat.
The specialised nature of the Mk4’s modifications suggests that the crew may have been involved in similarly specialised night-flying training when the ditching occurred. The helicopter has not yet been recovered and the recovery is expected to be a long process.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2026)]()
Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2026)
The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet remains in the limelight more than 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and details everything you need to know about the aircraft in 2026.
-
![Singapore Airshow 2026: Early adopters and big spenders point to UAV market opportunities]()
Singapore Airshow 2026: Early adopters and big spenders point to UAV market opportunities
While an estimated $37.99bn is still to be awarded across the Asia-Pacific uncrewed aerial vehicle market, the balance of potential future spending is unevenly split between various countries, with significant opportunities to be found in the collaborative combat aircraft space.
-
![British Army ACP project progresses with contract selection expected March 2026]()
British Army ACP project progresses with contract selection expected March 2026
Known as Project Nyx, the loyal wingman developed from this initiative will accompany the Apache 64-E and be used to complement tanks and artillery.
-
![UK MoD awards investment for full production of RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon radar upgrade]()
UK MoD awards investment for full production of RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoon radar upgrade
The contract deal will enable the production and integration of the Eurofighter Typhoon’s new Eurofighter Common Radar System Mk 2 on part of the UK Royal Air Force’s fleet.
-
![Bayraktar TB2: The $4.11 billion market success of a cost-effective MALE UAV]()
Bayraktar TB2: The $4.11 billion market success of a cost-effective MALE UAV
The success of the Bayraktar TB2 stems from it fulfilling a niche of providing reasonable capabilities at a low cost, leading to its acquisition by more than 30 countries including many in Africa; but there are reasons to be cautious about its potential future prospects.
