Four crew members died on board the Royal Navy Lynx helicopter which crashed off the Lizard Peninsula on Wednesday evening.

Wreckage was found on the seabed yesterday afternoon, and shortly afterwards four bodies were located close to the remains of the helicopter, around 20 miles off the coast.

The Ministry of Defence has not yet released the names of the four who died.

The Lynx went missing shortly after 7pm on Wednesday while engaged on a search mission for a possible man overboard – sailors on a Royal Navy frigate had reported hearing cries for help from the water.

The helicopter suddenly disappeared from the radar screens, and failed to respond to subsequent radio calls.

A search involving RN and RAF Sea Kings, frigates HMS Montrose and HMS St Albans, aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, a French patrol aircraft and the Falmouth lifeboat failed to find any sign of the helicopter or its crew until yesterday morning, when the lifeboat spotted wreckage floating in the sea.

Minehunter HMS Pembroke was brought in to pinpoint the wreckage on the seabed, using sonar, and the help of a salvage vessel with underwater cameras was also enlisted.

An inquiry is to be held into the incident.

Link to HMS St Albans factcard
Link to HMS Montrose factcard
Link to HMS Pembroke factcard