A UK-registered small DA42 plane crashed three miles to the south of Dubai International Airport, killing four people on board, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced Thursday evening.

The four-seater plane crashed while on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the airport, with all crew members, three British, and one South African, killed, said the GCAA in a statement

An investigation team from the GCAA arrived at the scene of the crash.

The GCAA said air traffic at the airport is back to normal, adding that it will continue the investigation and provide updates on the progress.

The light aircraft crashed near Mushrif Park on the approach to Dubai International Airport, Dubai Media Office said.

Dubai Media Office tweeted: “An accident involving a small plane with four passengers occurred resulting in the death of the pilot and his assistant. The relevant teams are on the scene.

“The small plane owned by Honeywell had four passengers on board, when it crashed due to a technical malfunction,” Dubai Media Office added.

Honeywell later clarified it did not own the plane.

The company said in a statement it was "deeply saddened by today's plane crash in Dubai," and sent its condolences to the victims' families. It is still unclear whether any or all of the victims were Honeywell employees.

"The plane was not owned or operated by Honeywell, but by a third party engaged by Honeywell. We are waiting for more details."

Dubai International Airport was closed from 7.36pm until 8.22pm after the incident with air traffic forced to circle, and some flights diverted to the nearby Maktoum International Airport.

Gulf News
BDST: 1101 HRS, MAY 17, 2019
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