Ankara  - Two pilots of a Turkish military helicopter were killed Saturday afternoon in a helicopter crash in central Anatolia, according to the Turkish General Staff.

Search and rescue operations were launched in the province of Kayseri after radio contact with the US-made AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter was lost.

The helicopter was flying from the south-eastern city of Malatya to Ankara, the General Staff said in a short statement posted on its official website.

Earlier reports that two other military personnel were on board were incorrect.

The cause of the accident is not yet known, although high winds were reported in the Kayseri region at the time of the crash. (dpa)