Agencies | Riyad:
At least 14 people were killed after a helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed near Ras Tanura in eastern Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the helicopter crashed with 14 people on board, adding that all the passengers were killed in the accident.
According to the ministry, the helicopter went down at around 6 a.m. local time. All the victims were Saudi nationals, and there were no survivors.
Authorities have launched an investigation involving the relevant agencies to determine the cause of the crash. The identities of the victims and further details surrounding the circumstances of the accident have not yet been made public.
The Saudi Energy Ministry expressed its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crash occurred on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, west of the Strait of Hormuz, near Ras Tanura, home to the Middle East’s largest oil refinery operated by Saudi Aramco.
The accident comes just days after Aramco resumed crude oil loading operations at its Ras Tanura terminal following a suspension that had lasted nearly four months.
“Investigations are under way, with the participation of the relevant authorities, to determine the causes of the helicopter crash,” the state news agency said.
Plane Crash in France Claims 11 Lives
In a separate incident earlier on Sunday, a civilian aircraft crashed in the eastern French town of Tomblaine, killing all 11 people on board.
According to Yves Seguy, Prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, the aircraft was carrying 11 people, including the pilot. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
