This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Three Britons and a South African have died in a plane crash near Dubai international airport, according to the Emirati authorities.

A UK-registered light aircraft carrying the four people came down about three miles south of the airport, the state’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said on Thursday. Investigators have been sent to the scene.

According to the GCAA, the plane was being used in an operation to calibrate navigation systems when the incident occurred.

The authorities said the aircraft was a Diamond DA42; a four-seater propeller-driven airplane.

The identities of those killed have not yet been released.

A spokesman for the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are working closely with the Emirati authorities following reports of a small aircraft crash in Dubai.”

The DA42, which has an all-carbon airframe, has a maximum speed of 226mph, can operate at a maximum altitude of 18,000ft and weighs 1,410kg, according to the Diamond website.

The plane was operated on behalf of Honeywell, a US-based multinational involved in engineering and aerospace systems. “We are deeply saddened by today’s plane crash in Dubai, and our heartfelt condolences are with the victims’ families,” the firm said.

• This article was updated on 17 May 2019 to add Honeywell’s statement and clarify that Honeywell did not own the plane.