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Dubai aircraft crash: Three Britons and one South African killed

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View of Dubai airport with city in backgroundImage source, Getty Images

Four people have been killed after a small plane crashed three miles to the south of Dubai International Airport.

Three Britons and a South African were aboard the UK-registered DA42 plane, UAE authorities said.

The four-seat plane was owned by Flight Calibration Services which is based at Shoreham Airport, in West Sussex.

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

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says an investigation is under way.

According to , the plane came down at approximately 19:30 local time, killing a pilot, a co-pilot and two passengers.

Flights were delayed and diverted as the airport - one of the world's busiest, - was closed for 45 minutes.

The Foreign Office said in a statement: "We are working closely with the Emirati authorities following reports of a small aircraft crash in Dubai."

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

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