What happened
On the afternoon of the incident, the crew departed RAF Detling at 1450LT for a maritime patrol mission over the North Sea. While operating along the Belgian coast near Ostende, the twin-engine aircraft came under fire from three German Me.109 fighters. The engagement resulted in multiple bullet impacts to the wings and ailerons, prompting the crew to initiate a return to United Kingdom airspace.
As the aircraft approached the British coast, an engine failure occurred. This mechanical issue forced the pilot to ditch the machine in the waters off Kent at 1830LT. The aircraft subsequently sank and was lost. All four occupants were rapidly recovered by personnel from a British destroyer before the plane disappeared beneath the surface.
Findings
The official determination attributed the incident to combat action. The aircraft was shot down by German fighters, leading to the damage that necessitated the emergency ditching.