An investigation will continue into what caused a Royal Navy helicopter to ditch in the Channel during a night-flying exercise, resulting in the death of a member of Navy personnel.

The Merlin helicopter crashed off the coast of Dorset on Wednesday night during the training exercise with the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, according to the Royal Navy.

Three crew members were on board at the time of the incident, and two of them were rescued and taken to hospital, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The family of the deceased, who has not been named, have been informed.

David Learmount, an expert on aviation issues, called the Merlin Mk4 a “sophisticated” helicopter which is “pretty resilient”, saying it was “very unusual” for such an incident to happen.

On the investigation into the cause of the incident, he told PA: “If there was a technical aspect to this they are going to check all the other helicopters that are like this one to make sure it’s not going to happen to them too.

“If they have a reason to do so they will say we’d better ground all the others until we know the reason why it happened.”

South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton said: "I am deeply saddened by the news that a member of Royal Navy personnel has died off our coastline. 

"My condolences go out to the family following this tragic incident.

"We have a deep appreciation and long-standing relationship with the Royal Navy in south Dorset - I know that many of my constituents will be devastated by this sad news.”

West Dorset MP Edward Morello said: "I am terribly saddened by the news of the loss of a member of our Royal Navy in the English Channel last night.

"My thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues of the serviceperson.

"I, like many, will want answers as to how this tragedy unfolded and what lessons can be learnt to ensure future loss of life can be avoided.

"I would like to thank all those, including the coastguard, involved in the search and rescue operation."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, posting a message on X, said: “Deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of a member of the Royal Navy.

“My thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this painful time.”

There are two types of Merlin helicopters currently in use in the Royal Navy, the mark-2 (Mk2) and the mark-4 (Mk4).

The MK4 features several modifications for use by the Royal Marines. These include a fast roping beam that allows the rapid deployment of Special Forces from the main cabin door.