Wreckage of Merlin helicopter that crashed into the Channel, killing a Royal Navy pilot, is brought ashore

The wreckage of a military helicopter in which a Royal Navy pilot was killed was brought ashore.

Pictures show what remains of the Merlin Mk4 helicopter being recovered from the English Channel after it plunged headfirst into the water on September 4.

Lt. Rhodri Leyshon, 31, was part of a three-man crew conducting night operations training on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth off the Dorset coast when the helicopter suffered a “double engine failure.”

The tail section of the helicopter was recovered today and brought to the port of Portland.

On September 6, Lt. Leyshon's family paid tribute to a “talented” and “passionate” man who was “loved beyond measure.”

Lt. Rhodri Leyshon, 31, was one of a three-man crew conducting night operations training with the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth near the Dorset coast when the helicopter suffered a “double engine failure”.

The Royal Navy pilot's family paid tribute to a “talented” and “passionate” man who was “love beyond measure”

All three crew members were on board the helicopter when it made an intentional emergency landing

Lt. Leyshon's colleagues were rescued from the rough waters and taken to hospital as a precaution.

A statement said: “Rhod was immensely loved and devoted by his parents, siblings, partner, friends and family. Our lives will never be the same without him.”

“We are all so proud of the talented, passionate, strong and loyal man he was. We will always carry him in our hearts. Our wonderful boy.”

The Royal Navy also paid for Lt. Leyshon, who joined in 2014 and completed flight training specialising in commando pilot.

Colonel Mark Johnson, commanding officer of the Commando Helicopter Force at Yeovilton, said: “It is with immense sadness that we have lost a family member.”

“Lt. Leyshon was a consummate professional and a ray of hope with a bright future.”

“He embodied our team spirit and his loss leaves a huge hole in all of our hearts.”

Air Vice-Marshal Alastair Smith, Commander of the Joint Aviation Command, added: “I flew with Lt. Leyshon just a few days ago and can personally attest to both his professionalism as a pilot and his warm character.”

“He will be sorely missed by the squadron, the Commando Helicopter Force and the entire Joint Aviation Command.”

Lt. Leyshon was on board a Merlin Mk4 which crashed into the water near the Dorset coast.

The incident involved a Merlin Mk4 helicopter that crashed into the sea during night flying exercises with HMS Queen Elizabeth (file image).

All three crew members were on board the helicopter when it made an intentional emergency landing.

Lt. Leyshon's colleagues were rescued from the troubled waters and taken to hospital as a precaution.

Preliminary investigations into the accident indicated that the helicopter had suffered a loss of power.

The Merlin Mk4 is powered by three jet engines that together produce 6,500 hp and reach a top speed of 160 knots.

It also has three separate hydraulic systems and three separate fuel lines.

Doubling these capacities, which naval aviators call “redundancy,” is intended to ensure that if one engine or hydraulic system fails, another system can compensate for the failure.

But in this extremely rare incident, at least two, possibly even three engines apparently suffered an irreparable loss of power.

The Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence and senior Royal Navy officers paid their last respects to the deceased soldier before the pilot's name was announced.

Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of a member of the Royal Navy”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tweeted that he was “deeply saddened” by the horror incident

MP John Healey, who visited the Royal Navy in Portsmouth on September 5, said: “This is very sad news and one that everyone who has anything to do with our armed forces fears.”

“My thoughts today are with the family, friends and colleagues. I have been able to express my condolences to the naval personnel and am here with the First Sea Lord (1SL).

“A full investigation has already been launched and this will be one of his first priorities. There will be [to find out what happened].

“Today is a day to mourn the loss of a valued member of the Navy personnel and to remember his family, friends and colleagues. The Navy as a whole also mourns his loss.”

Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord, added that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a member of our Royal Navy”.

Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord, said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a member of our Royal Navy”.

According to naval sources, the Merlin Mk4 has an exceptional safety record. The helicopter is 75 feet long and weighs almost 16 tons.

It is designed to transport up to 24 people and equipment over sea and land. The helicopter is also used in evacuation situations and for humanitarian missions.

It is important that it is equipped with flotation devices, so-called “flop bags”, which the helicopter drops if it falls into the water.

These are designed to keep the Merlin afloat. The functionality of these devices will be part of the accident investigation.

The helicopter did not crash, but made an emergency landing. It was therefore an intentional emergency landing. No other helicopters were involved.

Inside Britain's mightiest warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth

At 280 metres long, with a lifespan of half a century and a 1.6 hectare flight deck, HMS Queen Elizabeth is Britain's largest and most powerful warship ever built.

Here are the facts and figures about the ship, which was officially commissioned into the Royal Navy on December 7, 2017.

The pictured HMS Queen Elizabeth weighs around 65,000 tons, has a top speed of 25 knots and a 1.6 hectare flight deck.

• The aircraft carrier weighs 65,000 tons and has a top speed of over 25 knots.
• Several shipyards across the country were involved in the construction – including Govan and Scotstoun in Glasgow, Appledore in Devon, Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, Wirral, A&P on the Tyne in Newcastle and Portsmouth.
• A total of 10,000 people were involved in the construction of the ship. The ship was dismantled in shipyards across the UK and transported to Rosyth in Fife where it was reassembled.
• It is the second ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name Queen Elizabeth.
• The ship's crew consists of around 700 men. This number increased to 1,600 men when the full crew of F-35B jets and Crowsnest helicopters boarded.
• The ship contains 364,000 meters of piping, and from the keel to the top of the mast it measures 56 meters, four meters longer than Niagara Falls.
• Onboard facilities include a chapel, a medical center and a 12-bed ward staffed by general practitioners, a nurse and medical assistants, as well as a dentist and dental assistant.
• The warship also features five fitness studios, including a cardio room, two weight rooms and a boxing studio.
• Fitness circuit training and sports activities such as basketball and tug-of-war are held regularly in the hangar and on the flight deck. Weights and other items are stored in the flight deck ramp.
• There are five galleys on the warship where food is cooked and the people on board eat their meals daily. These include two main galleys, the bridge mess and a refreshment bar for the flight crew.
• The on-board distribution network has enough energy to supply 30,000 kettles or 5,500 single-family homes.
• Its flight deck is 280 meters long and 70 meters wide, enough space for three football fields.
• The entire ship's crew of 700 men can be served a meal within 90 minutes, and in combat mode even within 45 minutes.
• Crew recreation areas include televisions and sofas, as well as popular board games, including the Royal Navy's traditional game of Uckers.
• Each of the two aircraft lifts on HMS Queen Elizabeth can transport two fighter jets from the hangar to the flight deck in 60 seconds.
• The warship has a range of 8,000 to 10,000 nautical miles and is equipped with two propellers – each weighing 33 tons and having a total output of 80 MW – enough to power 1,000 family cars or 50 high-speed trains.