Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United Kingdom said family members of former al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden were killed in a private jet crash in southern England.

In a tweet late on Friday, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdel-Aziz, the ambassador, offered his condolences to the bin Laden family, without identifying the dead.

The bin Laden family owns a major construction company in Saudi Arabia. They disowned the al-Qaida leader before the Sept 11, 2001, terror attacks in the US.

The Embraer Phenom 300 jet crashed at Blackbushe Airport, an airfield used by private planes and flying clubs 65 kilometers southwest of London, though it was unclear whether it was taking off or landing. British authorities said four people died in the crash.

The official Saudi Press Agency earlier identified the jet as being Saudi-owned.

The United Kingdom confirmed that relatives of Osama bin Laden were killed in the crash. A spokeswoman for the British police said, "There were no survivors, unfortunately. There were four people on board, including the pilot."

Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud, offered condolences on the embassy's official Twitter account to the bin Laden family, a prominent Saudi Arabia clan with vast business interests.

"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 Balckbushe airport," he said in the tweet.

The Saudi embassy said it was working with British authorities to investigate the incident and to ensure the speedy handover of the bodies for funerals and burials in the kingdom.

The Saudi-owned al-Hayat newspaper, citing a statement by the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, said on its website that the jet crashed during takeoff from Blackbushe airport.

The statement did not identify the victims, but some Saudi media suggested on social media or on their websites that they were relatives of Osama bin Laden, the former leader killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011.

It was not immediately possible to confirm the reports.

British media, including the Daily Mail website, said the plane was carrying relatives of bin Laden. It said the plane was registered in Saudi Arabia and had originated in Milan, Italy.

AP - Reuters

(China Daily 08/03/2015 page11)