A pilot executed a miraculous emergency landing on a bustling motorway between cars and lorries yesterday after experiencing engine failure shortly after takeoff. Motorists in Brazil captured the heart-stopping moment the plane descended onto the highway, sparking fears of a crash.

Remarkably, the pilot avoided power lines and oncoming traffic, managing to land the aircraft safely on the road surface, with no injuries reported, according to Mirror UK. The pilot was identified as 29-year-old Mateus Renan Calado, accompanied by his passenger, 71-year-old businessman Valdemiro Jose Minella, who owns the aircraft. Authorities confirmed that both individuals emerged uninjured from the incident after they departed from an aerodrome in Guaratuba in the southern state of Santa Catarina around midday on Saturday. The single-engine Pelican 500 BR is said to have suffered engine failure over the BR-101 highway near Garuva.

Consequently, the pilot had no choice but to land on the congested motorway while emergency services hurried to assist. A woman in a car trailing the plane was heard exclaiming in alarm: "It's going to come down on the top of the lorry, it's going to crash."

It seemed the aircraft might attempt an emergency landing on a grass verge next to the bustling highway, but it eventually touched down just ahead of a tanker, narrowly avoiding the central reservation.

The vehicle in front was braked suddenly to avoid a crash, yet remarkably, its driver was also unharmed.

After stopping, the light aircraft was moved off the road to ensure traffic safety. Subsequently, its wings were detached and loaded onto a transport vehicle for removal.

According to a statement by Mr Minella to NSC TV, the aircraft underwent its last check-up early this year, with just seven hours of flight time since that inspection, including the brief journey on Saturday.

The aircraft was cleared from the scene around 5pm local time, allowing the motorway to be fully opened. The Brazilian Air Force has announced plans to investigate the incident.

It said: "The conclusion of this investigation will occur as soon as possible, always depending on the complexity of the occurrence and, also, the need to discover possible contributing factors."