Updated

The pilot of a Bulgarian military helicopter has died after the chopper crashed into the Black Sea during a tactical drill.

The defense ministry announced Friday that an AS 565 Panther helicopter plunged into the water seven miles (10 kms) off the coast while carrying out a maneuver during artillery shooting exercises.

The ministry says the crew captain died hours later in a hospital, while the other two crew members were admitted for treatment in a military hospital.

The cause of the crash is being investigated.