A Bell 206 helicopter, similiar to the one that crashed

NICOSIA, Cyprus -- The commanders of the Cypriot army and air force have been killed in a helicopter crash during a military exercise.

National Guard commander, General Evangelos Florakis, and the air force's Wing Commander Vassilis Dervenagas, were in a helicopter taking part in a night time exercise when it plunged into a riverbed near a village.

Defence Minister Socrates Hassikos told a news conference on Wednesday that the helicopter's air force crew, Paris Athanasides and Michael Shakalis, and Florakis's aide de camp, Navy Cmdr. Nikos Georghiou, also died.

He said it was too early to speculate about the cause of the crash and that a full inquiry would be conducted.

Hassikos said the incident came shortly after the Bell 206's crew was last in contact with ground control at 4:55 a.m. (0155 GMT) Wednesday near Paphos, about 80 miles (130 kilometres) southwest of Nicosia.

Cypriot state television Wednesday showed smoke rising from a smoldering patch of earth amid the open, rolling countryside at the site of the crash. No debris was shown.

"This is the first accident since the helicopter wing of the National Guard was formed 18 years ago," Hassikos said.

Florakis led the 15,000-strong Greek Cypriot national guard, one of the most modern armies in the region.

Hours before his death, Florakis appeared on public television to chastise reckless driving which had claimed the life of a soldier hours earlier.