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
-
![July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough]()
July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026 revealed the growing scale of the UK’s uncrewed ambitions, with companies showcasing new CCA, autonomous wingmen and surveillance drones, while sovereign production emerged as a key factor for multiple programmes.
-
![July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop]()
July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop
The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.
-
![Maximise survivability with advanced electronic warfare (video)]()
Maximise survivability with advanced electronic warfare (video)
BAE Systems’ all-digital EW delivers 360-degree threat awareness in contested environments, boosts survivability, and cuts lifecycle costs.
-
![US Air Force seeks avionics upgrades for ageing T-38 Talon as T-7A Red Hawk delays persist]()
US Air Force seeks avionics upgrades for ageing T-38 Talon as T-7A Red Hawk delays persist
The USAF is looking for commercial avionics solutions to improve the T-38 Talon’s reliability, readiness and flight safety as continued T-7A Red Hawk delays increase the likelihood that the legacy trainer will remain in service longer than planned.
-
![British Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty]()
British Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty
The UK’s choice of the Tekever AR5 for Project Corvus reflects a wider shift in military drone procurement towards solutions that centre on sovereignty and domestic production, moving away from overseas reliance.
