TheCable

Four people were killed after a small aircraft they were in crashed about three miles off Dubai International Airport.

According to BBC, three Britons and a South African were the victims of the ill-fated flight.

The aircraft reportedly crashed at about 19:30 local time, killing a pilot, a co-pilot and two passengers.

The aircraft registered as DA42 plane was owned by Flight Calibration Services, a firm, based at Shoreham Airport, in West Sussex.

The firm flies staff around the world to inspect and calibrate navigation aids such as radars and landing systems for airports and airfields.

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said an investigation had been launched into the incident.

Honeywell, a US engineering and aerospace company, said it had hired Flight Calibration Services and the DA42 plane for work in Dubai.

Honeywell, in a statement, said: “We are deeply saddened by today’s plane crash in Dubai, and our heartfelt condolences are with the victims’ families.”

The airport, one of the busiest in the world, was closed for 45 minutes as a result of the crash.