Two navy air crew feared dead in helicopter crash

Two Royal Navy aircrew were feared dead after their helicopter crashed while returning to its ship on an exercise in the Atlantic yesterday.

Lieutenant Rod Skidmore, 39, was piloting the Lynx helicopter, accompanied by a military observer, Lieutenant Jenny Lewis, 25. A third crew member, who suffered minor injuries, was rescued by an American helicopter sent to the scene.

The aircraft was heading for the warship HMS Richmond when it went down in unexplained circumstances about 200 miles off the coast of Virginia in the United States.

A joint Anglo-American search operation was still under way last night but relatives have been told to expect the worst. "Sadly we believe they have died in the accident," said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence.

Lt Skidmore, who is married with two children, and Lt Lewis, who is single, were based at the Royal Naval Air Station in Yeovilton, Somerset.

The MoD said a Mayday signal was sent from the helicopter but the cause of the accident was unknown.

"The accident will be subject to a full investigation," added the spokeswoman.

HMS Richmond, which was on an exercise with American vessels, is a Duke Class anti-submarine frigate. She entered service in 1996.