The first nuclear reactor at Barakah in the Western Region under construction.

DUBAI: A state-owned newspaper has reported that two workers have been killed while building the first nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.

The National of Abu Dhabi reported that the workers were killed and three others injured while working in a “man basket held by a crane” on May 12 at the under-construction Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE’s western desert. It’s unclear why the deaths are being reported more than a month later.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp did not respond to a request for comment yesterday. The UAE’s Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation issued a statement to The Associated Press saying that the incident occurred in a “non-nuclear related facility” at the site.