Royal Navy personnel killed in Devon helicopter crash named

The three Royal Navy personnel who died in a helicopter crash in a field in Devon have been named.

Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson and Petty Officer Owen Green died in the incident on Wednesday, the Ministry of defense has said.

The department previously confirmed they died during a training exercise.

Witnesses said they heard a series of explosions and a second helicopter hovering in the area.

Pictures from the scene show the tailfin lying beside the charred remains of what is thought to be a Merlin aircraft.

Eddie Amhof, who lives near the site of the accident, told ITV he saw an ‘almighty flash of red which lit up the sky’ as the noise of the helicopter stopped abruptly.

He told the outlet: ‘I heard this horrendous noise from a helicopter, it sounded like he was going to pitch on the roof. It was a terrible noise.

‘By the time I got out of bed, and got to the window, he’d moved away about half-a-mile.

‘And all of a sudden, no noise at all. The engines were gone.’

Another witness wrote on social media: ‘Heard a helicopter very low around us at 3.30 this morning, looked out, no lights, but sounds going towards Okehampton! Hope all ok.’

Meanwhile someone else said: ‘Thought there was a loud bang at 3 this morning.’

One person staying nearby in a van said: ‘Got woken up by this in my van, was so low my van was shaking.’

A Merlin Mk4 helicopter, the model believed to have been involved, can carry four crew and up to 24 soldiers.