Heavy AW101 Merlin Helicopter Crashes in United Kingdom

A Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopter crashed in Devon, United Kingdom, on the night of June 3.

The aircraft came down in a field near the village of Southon, according to the UK Defence Journal, citing fleet press services.

Local police blocked several roads around the crash site, including the A386 and A30. Residents in nearby areas reported hearing a loud explosion during the incident.

At present, neither the Ministry of Defence nor law enforcement agencies have provided details on how many people were on board or whether there were any casualties. The MoD has stated it will not comment further until the official investigation is complete.

The AW101 Merlin is the main helicopter of the Royal Navy and is considered a reliable platform in service. It is used in the Mk2 variant for anti-submarine warfare and reconnaissance, and in the Mk4 variant as a military transport helicopter for the Royal Marines.

The helicopter was developed jointly by Agusta and Westland, now part of Leonardo.