Two people were killed and a third was severely injured when a helicopter crashed on Tuesday in western Norway, police said.

The accident took place mid-morning in the Verdal municipality northeast of Trondheim.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

Images in Norwegian media showed the smashed wreck lying in a field in thick fog.

Two other helicopters, one belonging to rescue services and an ambulance helicopter, were dispatched to the scene, the site Flightradar24 showed.

The crashed helicopter had been leased, but no other details were immediately available, according to Norwegian media outlets.