A helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed Sunday near Ras Tanura on Saudi Arabia’s eastern Gulf coast, killing all 14 people aboard, the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy said.
The crash occurred at around 6 a.m. local time, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, which cited an energy ministry source. All 14 victims were Saudi nationals. The ministry offered condolences to the families of those killed and said authorities had launched a full investigation, working with relevant agencies, to determine what caused the accident.
No details have yet been released on the type of helicopter involved or the nature of the flight it was carrying out. Emergency teams were dispatched to the site shortly after the crash to assess the situation.
The accident comes just two days after Aramco resumed crude oil loadings at its Ras Tanura terminal, ending a halt of nearly four months. Ras Tanura is home to the largest oil refinery in the Middle East and serves as one of the world’s key oil export hubs. The resumption of operations there had come amid a broader regional push to restore oil and gas exports following an interim agreement aimed at de-escalating the conflict between the United States and Iran.
