Helicopter crashes onto busy Spanish motorway, injuring both occupants, after chopper ‘is hit by heavy wind’

A helicopter has crashed on a Spanish motorway, hitting a car and leaving three people injured.

The chopper came down on the M40 motorway near Madrid shortly after taking off.

Two people were in the helicopter – one was able to exit on foot, while the other was rescued from the wreckage by firefighters, an emergency service spokesperson said.

Both were injured in the crash, as was the driver of the car hit by the helicopter, emergency services said.

One of the crash survivors had a light head injury, another seems to have a broken femur and the third suffered light injuries, the spokesperson said.

Despite the fact it came down on a busy motorway, there are no other reports at this stage of any casualties.

The chopper came down on the M40 motorway near Madrid shortly after taking off

Traffic has been halted in both directions so emergency services can work at the scene.

The accident has been linked to heavy wind which is thought to have destabilised the chopper.

Local reports said the aircraft was participating in a helicopter industry exhibition called European Rotors at Madrid’s IFEMA exhibition centre.

Aviation news website On The Wings of Aviation reported: ‘The Enstrom 280FX Shark helicopter with registration F-HPUX that was participating in the European Rotors fair that was taking place in Ifema has crashed on the M40 in Madrid shortly after taking off. 

‘At the moment it is unknown if there are any injuries or the causes of the accident.’

The wreckage of the helicopter is seen spanning both directions of the motorway

Initial reports say the two occupants of the helicopter have been injured