Two Israeli pilots were killed when a navy helicopter crashed off Israel’s Mediterranean coast late Monday near the northern city of Haifa, the Israeli military announced on Tuesday.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) "Atalef" maritime helicopter went down Monday in the Mediterranean off the coast of the northern city of Haifa during a training flight, the army said in a statement.

Rescue teams, including Israel's Special Forces Underwater Missions Unit, were deployed but were unable to save two pilots who were declared dead at the scene.

A third crew member – an aerial observer – was "moderately injured," the army said.

IAF Commander Amikam Norkin announced a temporary freeze on training exercises.

A senior officer would lead an investigative team examining the "incident," the army said, without giving any further indication of the cause of the crash.