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Plane crash in UAE kills all 4 aboard

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: All four aboard were Americans; no names have been released
  • The Grumman 21T was bound for Saudi Arabia, authorities say
  • It crashed shortly after takeoff and was destroyed on impact

(CNN) -- A plane crashed Sunday night shortly after takeoff from the United Arab Emirates, killing the four people -- all of them Americans -- who were aboard, officials said Monday.

The Grumman 21T, which was bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, veered to the left and crashed into a taxiway shortly after takeoff from Al Ain International airport at 8:07 p.m., according to a statement from the General Civil Aviation Authority of United Arab Emirates.

The aircraft, operated by Triple S Aviation, LLC, of Addison, Texas, was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire, it said. The company did not immediately return a telephone call.

The victims have not been identified publicly.

The civil aviation authority was leading an investigation into the cause of the crash.

In a statement, a spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the United Arab Emirates said it "extends its deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the crash."