Warsaw - Two Poles died on Tuesday after a rescue helicopter crashed on its way to a 20 car pile-up in southern Poland, local media reported.

The cause of the crash is unknown but there was dense fog in the area, a local police official told the Polish Press Agency PAP.

A third passenger, most likely a doctor, was badly wounded in the accident, PAP reported. The man was the sole passenger able to contact rescue services after the accident.

Nine people were wounded in the car pile-up, the Polish telivision station TVN24 reported. (dpa)