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.

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

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

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

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, posting a message on X, formerly Twitter,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.”

Defence Secretary John Healey described the news as “dreadful”.

While on a visit to HMS Diamond in Portsmouth, he said: “Dreadful news. Truly dreadful news.

“I use dreadful because this is what everyone connected to the armed forces (dreads), news of personnel in service dying.

“All my thoughts and the thoughts of those in the wider Navy I’ve been with today are with the family, the friends and the close colleagues of the one we’ve lost today.”

READ MORE: One person dead after Navy helicopter crashes in English Channel

In a statement, the Royal Navy said: “It is with great sadness that we must report a member of the Royal Navy has died following a training incident last night.

“Our thoughts are with the family – who have been informed – and all those affected at this sad time. A full investigation will take place.

“The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter in the English Channel near Dorset that ditched while conducting night-flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth. There were no other fatalities or serious injuries.”

The Merlin Mk4 helicopter is used by the Royal Marines and has been deployed globally to provide disaster relief.

It is considered the “world’s most advanced amphibious battlefield helicopter” and can carry up to 24 troops, according to the Royal Navy.