The Royal Navy has revealed the identities of its three service personnel who died when their helicopter crashed during a training exercise.
A Merlin Mk4 helicopter came down in a field in Sourton, near Okehampton, Devon, shortly after 3:30am on Wednesday. An investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.
The three crew who lost their lives in the tragic incident have been named as Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson, Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, and Petty Officer Owen Green.
Commander of Joint Aviation Command, Air Vice-Marshal Lee Turner RAF, said: “The loss of three deeply capable and professional aviators during the tragic incident is the cause of profound sadness across the Joint Aviation Command and the Commando Helicopter Force in particular.
“They will be greatly missed, and our thoughts are with the families and all those affected.”
Commanding Officer of Commando Helicopter Force, Colonel Will Penkman, said: “It is a tragedy that we lost three members of the CHF family. Cherished members of the force with bright futures ahead of them, they were all highly committed professionals infused with the Junglie spirit of the force.
“Their loss leaves a terrible gap in our hearts and my thoughts go out to their family and friends who dearly loved them.”
Lt Cdr Gayson had joined the RN back in 2008 and after gaining his wings in 2012, he had served with 845 NAS flying the Sea King Mk4, which included stints in Norway, Jordan, Afghanistan, and on embarked operations.
In July 2025 he had assumed the position of Operational Conversion Flight Commander on 846 NAS. The RN said: “An utmost professional, his leadership of the Operational Conversion Flight was exemplary, and his loss is a huge blow to the Royal Navy, Force, and Squadron.”
Shortly after commissioning into the RN in 2019, Lt Fisher had achieved the notable feat of becoming Britain’s only serving female Royal Navy Commando. She had also served as a Watch Keeper on Operation Isotrope, the U.K. military’s response to the Channel migrant crisis.
She had been due to be awarded her Pilot’s Wings later this month. The RN said: “She has been an inspiration to countless people, particularly young women, encouraging them to achieve their dreams and it is clear that she had a very bright future as a Naval Aviator ahead of her.”
Petty Officer Green had joined the RN in January 2022, and made swift progress winning his Aircrewman Wings in June 2025. He completed his embarked aviation qualification aboard HNLMS Johan De Witt in October 2025, and his contribution on Operation Clockwork 26 was particularly notable; he accumulated the highest-flying hours among his peers in demanding Arctic conditions.
The RN said: “Throughout his service, Owen consistently demonstrated technical proficiency, operational effectiveness, and a commitment to continuous professional development, making a significant contribution to squadron capability and mission success.”
It added: “Our thoughts remain with their families, friends and colleagues and we continue to demand their privacy is respected at this time. We also ask anyone in the vicinity of the crash site to understand the poignancy of this, not to share footage and hand any footage to the relevant investigating authority.”
- You can read more details about and tributes to the three service personnel on the Royal Navy website