Tragedy hits Ras Tanura: 14 dead in Aramco helicopter crash, days after export resumption

RIYADH: A helicopter belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco crashed in the coastal city of Ras Tanura on Sunday, leaving 14 people dead. According to Saudi Arabia’s official news agency, all victims of the tragedy have been identified as Saudi nationals.

The exact cause of the fatal crash remains undetermined, and aviation authorities have launched a full investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The disaster occurred in Ras Tanura, a strategically vital area located west of the Strait of Hormuz. Notably, the accident took place just two days after Aramco had officially restarted crude oil exports from the Ras Tanura terminal on Friday. The major export facility had previously been offline for nearly four months due to ongoing geopolitical conflicts in the West Asian region.