SEVEN crew members are feared dead after two Royal Navy Sea King Airborne Early Warning helicopters were today involved in a mid-air collision over international waters in the Gulf, UK Central Command in Qatar said.

SEVEN crew members are feared dead after two Royal Navy Sea King Airborne Early Warning helicopters were today involved in a mid-air collision over international waters in the Gulf, UK Central Command in Qatar said.

The Sea Kings went down at around 4.30am local time (1.30am GMT).

A spokesman said: "Search and rescue operations are under way for the seven missing crewmen.

"There are believed to be no survivors.

"The incident was not the result of enemy action.

"Further details will be released as soon as possible after next of kin have been informed."

Group Captain Al Lockwood told Sky News: "Circumstances are still unclear. An investigation is under way and obviously, it will take some time to ascertain what happened.

"But we are doing our utmost to establish very, very quickly what the implications could be and what caused the accident itself.''

He added: "The most important thing at this moment is with notifying next of kin of the casualties.''