Three Royal Navy personnel have died after a Merlin Mk4 helicopter crashed during a training exercise near Sourton Down, England.

Axar.az reports, citing BBC, that a major incident was declared, and wreckage was later found across the crash site.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the crash as “utterly tragic,” while Defense Secretary John Healey said he was “devastated by the loss of three service personnel.”

The Chief of the Defense Staff and naval leadership said investigations had been launched, with support from police, fire services, and the Civil Aviation Authority at the scene.

The Merlin Mk4 helicopter, operated by the Royal Marines’ Commando Helicopter Force, is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset and is commonly used for training flights over Dartmoor.

Road closures were implemented around the A386 and A30 near the crash site, with services in the area temporarily affected.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.