La Grulla, Texas - Two soldiers and a US border agent died in a helicopter crash on Friday near the US-Mexico border, the US military said, in the latest deadly aviation accident.

"A UH-72 Lakota helicopter assigned to the federal Southwest border support mission crashed... while conducting aviation operations near Rio Grande City, Texas," Joint Task Force North said in a statement.

"Two soldiers and one US Border Patrol agent were killed," it said, adding that a third soldier was injured and in critical condition.

"The cause of the accident is under investigation."

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The tragedy occurred at around 2:50 PM local time, according to JTF-N.

The aircraft reportedly went down in the town of La Grulla, Texas, located about 30 miles west of the city of McAllen.

National Guard Bureau chief General Daniel Hokanson sent his "deepest condolences to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues" of those killed, calling the accident a "tragic loss beyond words."

The US has been dealing with an alarming spate of helicopter crashes. Five US Marines died in an incident in California last month, while a temporary ban on the V-22 Ospreys aircraft that was involved in several deadly accidents in recent years has only just been lifted.