Three Injured In Helicopter Crash On Madrid Ring Road
In a dramatic incident on Friday morning, a helicopter crashed on the busy motorway ring road in Madrid, colliding with a car and injuring three people.
The crash occurred as the helicopter, believed to be participating in the European Rotors 2023 aviation fair, attempted to fly from Ifema to Cuatro Vientos airfield, south of Madrid.
According to emergency services, two individuals were aboard the helicopter during the crash. One managed to exit on foot, while firefighters had to free the other from the wreckage. The driver of the car struck by the helicopter also sustained injuries.
Emergency responders described the injuries as a light head injury for one survivor, a broken thigh for another, and light injuries for the third.
Footage from the scene depicted the two-seat orange helicopter lying on its side, its glass cockpit shattered, and its tail smashed over the central reservation beside a motorway bridge. The car involved in the collision suffered a shattered windshield and gashes on its bodywork.
Dozens of emergency officers were swiftly deployed to secure the area, and traffic in both directions was halted to facilitate emergency services.
The cause of the accident is speculated to be heavy wind, which may have destabilised the helicopter shortly after takeoff. The Enstrom 280FX Shark helicopter, with registration F-HPUX, was reportedly involved in the crash shortly after departing from Ifema.
Aviation news website On The Wings of Aviation reported the incident, stating, "The Enstrom 280FX Shark helicopter… has crashed on the M40 in Madrid shortly after taking off."
The crash on the Madrid motorway underscores the unpredictable nature of air travel, even in controlled environments such as aviation fairs. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the precise factors that led to this unexpected and alarming event.
