Aramco helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia kills all 14 on board
An investigation was opened into the cause of the crash near a major Saudi refinery in Ras Tanura
A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.
The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.
“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.
Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.
The crash comes on a weekend that’s seen increased tensions in the Middle East with the US and Iran targeting each other’s military infrastructure and straining their peace efforts.
Tit-for-tat assaults started on Thursday with an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Washington to hit Iran the following day. The US struck again overnight Saturday, after an attack on a vessel carrying Qatari oil. Iran targeted US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday.