What happened
During a scheduled maritime patrol mission, an aircraft was operating over the Irish Sea when a fire ignited in the right-hand engine. In response to the emergency, the pilot initiated a diversion toward RAF Machrihanish, situated on the western side of the Mull of Kintyre.
Shortly after the fire began, the right engine became detached from the airframe. Following the loss of the engine, the crew performed an emergency ditching a few kilometers south of the Scottish coastline. Despite the severity of the incident, all 14 occupants were successfully rescued from the scene. The aircraft subsequently sank into the sea and is considered lost.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the primary factor was an in-flight fire involving the right engine, though the specific origin of the combustion remains undetermined.