Three killed in UK helicopter crash, including only female comman

The Royal Navy confirmed on Thursday (June 4) that three people have died in a military helicopter crash, including the country's only active-duty female commando, Lily-May Fisher.

According to the Navy, Lily-May Fisher died when a Marlin Mk 4 helicopter crashed during routine training in southwest England. The UK Navy describes her as "the country's only serving female Royal Navy commando."

She joined the Green Beret commando in 2022 after completing rigorous training. As part of that training, she had to complete a 50-kilometer march.

The BBC reported that seven women, including Fisher, have successfully completed commando training since 2001. However, a total of 17 women have taken part in the training.

The Navy said Fisher was killed during her final flight training assessment. She was due to qualify as a helicopter pilot this month. Two other Royal Navy personnel also died in the crash.

Fisher had more than 45,000 followers on Instagram, where she spoke about the experiences of women in the military, particularly the challenges of menstruation in the field.

The UK Ministry of Defence said she was an inspiration to countless people, especially young women, who had been encouraged to pursue their dreams.