Plane crash kills four, temporarily closes airport
Three Britons and a South African have been killed in a light-aircraft crash near Dubai International Airport.
Local correspondent Gulf News reported yesterday that a DA42 light-aircraft registered in the United Kingdom had crashed nearly five kilometres South of Dubai International Airport – killing four people on board.
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said on Thursday that the four-seater plane crashed while “on a mission to calibrate terrestrial navigation systems at the airport”, with all its crew members, three British and one South African, killed in the incident.
The identities of those killed have reportedly not yet been released.
The Dubai Media Office has said the crash was caused by a “technical malfunction” that occurred on its approach to Dubai International Airport.
According to Gulf News the plane was owned by a third-party engaged by Honeywell, a US-based engineering and aerospace systems multinational company.
Honeywell said in a statement to Gulf News it was “deeply saddened by today’s plane crash in Dubai,” and sent its condolences to the victims’ families.
It remains unclear whether the victims were Honeywell employees.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office told The Guardian: “We are working closely with the Emirati authorities following reports of a small aircraft crash in Dubai.”
Following the accident, Dubai International Airport was closed from around 7:30am to around 8:30pm local time, with air traffic forced to either circle or divert to Maktoum International Airport, around 65 kilometres away.
The accident reportedly affected operations in one of the two runways at the airport, which was the only one being used due to ongoing renovations to the second runway expected to last 45 days from 16 April to 30 May.
At around 9pm local time Dubai Media Office posted on social media that operations at Dubai International Airport were back to normal following the accident.
Government of Dubai Media Office: All operations at the Dubai airport are running smoothly after a slight delay and diversion of some flights as a precautionary measure to ensure security following a minor incident involving a small plane.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) May 16, 2019
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
DA42 Dubai International Airport Dubai Media Office General Civil Aviation Authority UK Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeLatest News
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