A TAVISTOCK independent school has paid tribute to helicopter crash victim Lieutenant Lily-Mae Fisher as a ‘remarkable individual’.

Lt Fisher, Britain's only female Royal Navy Commando, struck a chord when she visited students of Mount Kelly College Combined Cadet Force.

They found her to be a role model and inspirational figure, both militarily and personally.

Following her tragic death in the crash near Okehampton last week, Mount Kelly headmaster Guy Ayling paid tribute to his special visitor.

He said: “Over the last few days, our community at Mount Kelly has been reflecting on the loss of Lt Lily-Mae Fisher, who tragically died in the recent air crash near Okehampton, just up the road from us.

“Amongst much else, Lt Fisher was Britain's only female Royal Navy Commando.”

Lt Fisher visited the school in November 2024, she spoke with pupils and working alongside the combined cadet force.

Guy added: “Even in that short visit, we knew we were in the presence of a remarkable individual, someone with a quiet authority, an acute sense of purpose and boundless desire to serve.

“There is a particular force in encountering someone who lives out their commitments so fully, and a particular kind of silence that follows the loss of someone who was so fully alive.”

Guy invoked the Ancient Rome philosopher Seneca in his tribute. Seneca, focused on self-mastery and emotional resilience, through stoicism.

Guy said: “He observed that life is not short, so much as often underused.

“Lily-Mae accepted, without hesitation, that invitation to attend closely to the life we are given, however long or brief.

“At Mount Kelly, we will remember her not only with sadness, but with gratitude.

“Our thoughts remain with the families, loved ones and colleagues of all those lost and affected.”

The helicopter came down in a field close to the Sourton Junction with the A30, a few miles west of Okehampton at 3.30am on Wednesday, June 3.

Several eyewitnesses near the scene have reported hearing loud explosions between 3 and 4am.

Police and emergency services were mobilised shortly afterwards. Sadly none of the occupants of the helicopter survived.

One local resident posted in response to the crash, the morning after: “Shortly after going to bed last night I was woken by a terrible racket and flashing lights from overhead, enough to make me jump out of bed to see if there was an aircraft in trouble. But there was nothing in sight. It sounds like it must be connected to this incident.

“The pilot must be congratulated in that he managed to keep his aircraft from crashing into a densely populated area. I hope he or she has survived.”

An MOD investigation is underway into the cause of the crash.