LONDON: Britain’s Royal Navy on Thursday named Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, the country’s only serving female naval commando, among three service personnel killed in a helicopter crash during a training exercise.
The Ministry of Defence identified the victims as Lieutenant Commander Chris Gayson, 42, Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher, 31, and Petty Officer Owen Green, 24. All three were based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.
Lily-Mae Fisher, along with two other crew members, died when a Merlin Mk4 helicopter crashed during routine training in southwest England.
Fisher was “Britain’s only serving female Royal Navy Commando”, the navy said.
According to AFP, the 31-year-old passed an arduous training course, including a 30-mile (50-kilometre) march, to become a green-beret-wearing commando in 2022.
Fisher’s achievement was considered particularly notable because women remain a rarity in the commando ranks.
According to the BBC, only seven women have completed the demanding All Arms Commando Course since 2001, with 17 attempting the programme.
Fisher earned her green beret in 2022 and was Britain’s only serving female Royal Navy commando at the time of her death, highlighting both the difficulty of the training and the small number of women who have qualified for the role.
The lieutenant was killed on her final flight training assessment and was due to qualify as a helicopter pilot this month.
Fisher had an Instagram account with more than 45,000 followers where she talked about issues faced by women in the military, including dealing with menstruation while in the field.
“She has been an inspiration to countless people, particularly young women, encouraging them to achieve their dreams,” the defence ministry said.
