The 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.

Israeli Air Force 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.