MEXICO.- Two Mexican soldiers died when their aircraft crashed during a training flight for causes as yet unknown, the defense department said.

The accident of the single-engine Porter PC-6 of the Mexican air force occurred in the area around Santa Lucia air base in Mexico state, near the nation's capital.

"The necessary investigations are being carried out to determine the causes of the accident," the defense department said in a communique.

The two soldiers died while being attended by medical teams.

Mexico state government officials told EFE that the small plane went down in the village of Tecamac, near the highway between Mexico City and the city of Pachuca.

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