'Osama bin Laden's sister and stepmother among four dead Hampshire plane crash'

Osama bin Laden’s stepmother, sister and brother-in-law are reportedly among four people who died when a private jet crashed into a car auction in Hampshire.

The £7 million Phenom 300 jet, owned by the family through company Salem Aviation, erupted into a huge fireball after overshooting the runway while trying to land at Blackbushe Airport at 3.09pm yesterday.

Osama bin Laden

Four people died in the crash, including the Jordanian pilot, bin Laden’s stepmother Rajaa Hashim, his half-sister Sana bin Laden and her husband Zuhair Hashim, after the jet exploded when it hit a carpark at the British Car Auction.

Bin Laden’s sister and stepmother being among the dead was reported by Saudi Arabian media. The airfield has been closed and the crash is not thought to be terrorism related.

The Embraer Phenom jet

The plane is usually based in Saudi Arabia, but is thought to have been flying from Milan, Italy, where the bin Laden family have interests.

A spokesperson for the Saudi Arabian embassy expressed their condolences to the bin Laden family.

A source close to Saudi Arabian authorities said: ‘Saudi officials in contact with members of the (bin Laden) family. They are aware of the reports and are carrying out checks with members of the family for further information.’

The aircraft involved in today’s crash was named after Osama Bin Laden’s eldest brother Salem, right, who himself died in an aircraft crash while flying in the United States in 1988

Acting chief inspector Olga Venner of Hampshire Police said: ‘We can confirm that there were four people on board, including the pilot. Sadly there were no survivors. No one on the ground has been injured and we would urge anyone with any information, including pictures or videos, to contact 101.’

She said police had launched a joint investigation with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

An airport spokesman said: ‘Blackbushe Airport confirmed that a Phenom 300 jet with four persons on board crashed near the end of the runway around 3.09pm while attempting to make a landing.

The flight path of the jet

‘The scene was attended by Blackbushe Fire and Rescue within minutes, followed by Hampshire fire, police and ambulance units.’
Robert Belcher, a local aviation enthusiast, said he was driving home when he saw a plume of black smoke coming from the site.

Blackbushe plane crash

He said: ‘I was passing the airport on my way home and there was a big column of smoke in the air. The fire service had closed the road behind me.

‘I could see the plume of smoke waving from about five miles away and was hoping it was just a car fire rather than an aircraft accident.’