14 killed in Saudi Aramco helicopter crash

Fourteen people died when a helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed in Saudi Arabia's eastern coastal city of Ras Tanura. The state-run oil giant confirmed the incident, which occurred early on Sunday morning. All 14 occupants, identified as Saudi nationals, perished in the crash.

The helicopter was owned by Aramco, the kingdom's dominant energy producer. Operations at the Ras Tanura complex, one of the Middle East's largest oil refineries, had only resumed two days prior. The facility had been shut down for four months following a drone attack in March. That earlier incident prompted precautionary measures, leading to the refinery's temporary closure.

Authorities are investigating the cause of Sunday's crash. While the investigation is ongoing, officials have not suggested the incident was the result of hostile action. The Ras Tanura complex is a critical hub for Saudi Arabia's oil exports, with a daily capacity of 550,000 barrels of crude oil. The conflict in the Middle East had previously impacted export flows, reducing Saudi Arabia's daily exports from over 7 million barrels in February to approximately 4 million in recent months.