Royal Navy: HMS Queen Elizabeth carries on training following crash which killed Commando helicopter pilot

The ship’s company aboard the Royal Navy flagship have been completing various exercises this week. This follows the tragic passing of Lt Rhodri Leyshon, 31, who died after a Merlin helicopter ditched in the English Channel during a night-flying exercise last week.

Two other pilots were rescued and hospitalised following the incident off the coast of Dorset. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. His family described him as a “talented, passionate, strong and loyal man” during their tribute. HMS Queen Elizabeth has since been carrying out a range of exercises during her Operational Sea Training deployment. A post on the Portsmouth-based ship’s social media account said: “Our training never stops.

“A busy start to the week with a programme of boat drills, navigation training and Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters operating on and above our flight deck.” Operational Sea Training involves work up exercises to make sure the carrier and its personnel are ready for any future operations. Training packages can involve everything which the carrier can have at its disposal, including Merlin helicopters and F-35 fighter jets.

David Learmount, an expert on aviation, previously said Merlin Mk4 helicopters could be grounded while the investigation is carried out. “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,” he added. “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.” HMS Queen Elizabeth left HMNB Portsmouth for the exercises on September 2.