Members of the Osama Bin Laden's extended family are believed among four people who died aboard an Embraer Phenom 300 jet that crashed into a car auction site next to Blackbushe Airport in southern England July 31. The aircraft, Saudi-registered HZ-IBN, was approaching Runway 25 at Blackbushe when it crashed into a car auction parking lot next to the airport. The aircraft reportedly burst into flames following the crash and was destroyed.
As of early Saturday the identities of the victims had not been released, but the Saudi ambassador to the U.K., Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf tweeted a statement about the crash that was translated as “His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz, the ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the United Kingdom, offered his condolences to the sons of the late Mohammed bin Laden and their relations for the grave incident of the crash of the plane carrying members of the family at Blackbushe Airport." Hampshire police added, “We do believe three of the deceased to be the mother, sister and brother-in-law of the owner of the aircraft, all of whom are from the Bin Laden family,” but added that examinations were ongoing. “They were Saudi Arabian nationals and visiting the U.K. on vacation."
Initial information obtained by Flight Safety Foundation’s Air Safety Network indicated that the aircraft was operated by Salem Aviation. The aircraft had departed Milan-Malpensa Airport (MXP/LIMC) in Italy en route to Blackbushe. Hampshire Police confirmed all four aboard, including the pilot, had died in the crash. The police also confirmed they were "undertaking a joint investigation with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch to determine the cause of the incident."