RIYADH/DUBAI: A helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed in Ras Tanura on Sunday, killing all 14 people on board, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced.
The crash occurred at approximately 6:00 a.m. local time. All 14 individuals on board were Saudi nationals, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing an official source at the Ministry of Energy.
“The Ministry of Energy regrets to announce that a helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed in Ras Tanura on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at approximately 6:00 a.m.,” the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA. “The accident resulted in the martyrdom of all 14 individuals on board, all of whom were Saudi nationals.”
The relevant authorities have launched a full investigation, in coordination with other agencies, to determine the cause of the crash. The Ministry of Energy extended its deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the families of the victims, praying that Almighty Allah grants them mercy and forgiveness and accepts them as martyrs.
The cause of the crash has not been disclosed, and officials have not indicated any link to recent regional hostilities. Authorities have asked the public to await the findings of the inquiry.
Resumed Operations
The crash comes two days after Aramco resumed crude oil loadings at its Ras Tanura export terminal on Friday, following a suspension of nearly four months. Operations had been halted after a drone attack on the refinery in early March sparked a fire and forced a precautionary shutdown, compounded by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz during its conflict with the United States and Israel. Aramco was forced to divert exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu during the closure; the last cargo loaded from Ras Tanura before the halt was shipped to China on March 8, according to shipping data cited by Reuters.
Ras Tanura, on Saudi Arabia’s eastern Gulf coast, hosts one of the Middle East’s largest refineries, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and one of the world’s largest oil export terminals, supplying crude to markets across Europe and Asia, including China, Japan and South Korea.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, has joined other West Asian producers in ramping up oil and gas exports following an interim agreement aimed at halting the conflict between the United States and Iran. The International Energy Agency has said the situation “remains highly unpredictable, with major strains in large parts of the market and uncertainty over how the peace talks will play out.”
UAE Expresses Solidarity
The UAE expressed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia over the victims of the helicopter crash. In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) extended its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Saudi Arabia, over the tragic incident.
This report draws on statements from the Saudi Ministry of Energy carried by SPA, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and reporting by Reuters and the International Energy Agency.
