The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth had an accident during training exercises. A helicopter crashed into the sea, resulting in one death

Recently, the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth left port for training exercises after a major overhaul. However, a tragedy suddenly occurred during the training process.

According to a report by The Guardian on September 5, at local time on the evening of September 4, a Merlin Mk4 helicopter of the British Royal Navy crashed in the English Channel while conducting night training exercises with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. This accident caused one Royal Navy personnel to unfortunately lose their life. Two other crew members were rescued, but their injuries were not serious.

The British Navy said that the Merlin Mk4 helicopter has been modified and equipped with a special fast-rope beam, which can be used for rapid deployment of special forces soldiers by rappelling. At the time of the incident, the helicopter was participating in a test flight exercise. This is a routine maritime training exercise carried out by the "Queen" after leaving the port earlier this week. Previously, the "Queen" completed the repair and upgrade of the starboard propeller shaft fault in the dry dock and was relaunched after four months.

After the accident, British Prime Minister Starmer expressed "deep sorrow" and offered condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and paid tribute to the personnel involved in the rescue operation. British Defense Secretary John Healey also called this accident "terrible news". A source from the British Royal Navy revealed that the crashed helicopter has not been salvaged yet. The salvage operation is expected to be a "long process". The navy said in a statement, "We report this training accident with great sorrow. At this sad time, we are with the families of the deceased and others affected, and will conduct a full investigation into this matter." At present, the names of the personnel related to the accident have not been released, but their immediate relatives have been notified. This accident has dealt a heavy blow to the British Navy and also triggered concerns and reflections on military training safety from all sectors.