Two dead in Israeli military helicopter crash

Jerusalem: An Israeli military helicopter crashed off the coast of northern Israel during a training flight late on Monday, killing two pilots, the military said.

A third crew member, an aerial observer, was injured and evacuated to a hospital, the military said.

The air force commanding officer opened an investigation into the crash and ordered a temporary discontinuation of training flights, as well as the use of the maritime Panther helicopter.

An Israeli military helicopter crash killed two pilots and injured a third crew member, the Israel Defense Forces said early Tuesday.

The chopper went down off the coast of northern Israel during a training exercise on Monday. The third member onboard has been evacuated to a hospital, the military said.

The cause of the crash is not known. 

2 IDF officers were killed and 1 moderately injured when an IAF maritime helicopter crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Haifa during a training flight last night.

We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two pilots who lost their lives.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 3, 2022

The Israeli Air Force's Atalef maritime helicopter crashed in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa, the military said in a statement.

People hold parts of a crashed helicopter in Haifa, Israel, on Jan. 3, 2022.

The IAF "Atalef" maritime helicopter went down late Monday

Rescue teams, including Israel's Special Forces Underwater Missions Unit, were deployed to the site immediately. However, they were unable to save two pilots who were declared dead on the scene.

A third crew member, an aerial observer, was "moderately injured," the army said. The crew member had been flown to a hospital.

Israeli Air Force Commander Amikam Norkin announced a temporary freeze on training exercises. The military added that a senior official would lead an investigation team to examine the "incident."

Source: AFP/Reuters