A senior Israel Air Force official says the helicopter that crashed off the coast of Haifa on Monday night suffered a malfunction in its left motor, forcing the pilots to bring it down for a crash landing on the water.

However, investigators are mystified as to why the pilots weren’t able to escape the downed helicopter, despite a third crew member successfully getting out and the helicopter’s flotation system apparently working properly.

According to Brig. Gen. Amir Lazar, the chopper – a Eurocopter AS565 Panther – is designed to be able to make water landings in the event of an emergency, with a special flotation system installed on the crafts.

Lazar said that the pilots activated the flotation system upon initiating their emergency descent, which allowed the third crewmember – an aerial observer – to get out.

�We don�t know why the pilots� didn�t,� he says.

The helicopter eventually sank and rescuers found the pilots still in the cockpit with their seat belts fastened.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)