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Crash at Ras Tanura
A helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed in Ras Tanura on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast on Sunday, killing 14 people on board, according to the state news agency SPA.
“killing 14 people on board”
An investigation was launched to determine the cause of the crash, with DW reporting that the Saudi Press Agency said investigations were under way with the participation of relevant authorities.
Ras Tanura is described as a primary oil refining and export hub on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast along the Gulf, and the crash occurred around 6 a.m. local time.
Euronews reported that Riyadh did not indicate any signs supporting the hypothesis of hostile action, despite renewed exchanges of blows between Iran and the United States in the Gulf since Thursday.
CNBC also said the cause was unknown and that the helicopter crash killed 14 nationals, with investigations under way to determine the causes.
Investigations and context
Saudi Press Agency reporting cited by DW said, "Investigations are under way, with the participation of relevant authorities, to determine the causes of the helicopter crash," while Euronews said investigations are ongoing to determine the causes.
Euronews quoted a Saudi Energy Ministry source saying the helicopter crashed at 6:00 a.m. in Ras Tanura and that it led to the death of all on board, numbering 14 people, all of whom were Saudi citizens.
The crash was placed in a wider regional backdrop in the sources, with Euronews noting renewed exchanges of blows between Iran and the United States in the Gulf since Thursday.
Al Jazeera, citing SPA, reported the helicopter crashed at around 6am (03:00 GMT) and that the dead were all Saudi nationals.
The Saudi Ministry of Energy extended condolences and said the relevant authorities had launched a full investigation, according to Energy Connects.
Business stakes and aftermath
The incident landed as Aramco had resumed loadings at Ras Tanura on Friday after months of inactivity, with CNBC saying the company resumed crude oil loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal after they were halted for nearly four months.
“resumed crude oil loadings on Friday”
Euronews described Ras Tanura as housing one of the largest oil refineries in the Middle East with a production capacity of around 550,000 barrels per day, and it said the refinery had previously been subjected to attacks.
Energy Connects said the incident came just two days after Aramco began loading crude oil from the export terminal in the Ras Tanura refinery on 26 June, which was shut for nearly four months.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy said it was investigating the circumstances of the crash and extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, according to Energy Connects.
In the sources’ framing of operational continuity, Al Jazeera reported that on Friday Saudi Aramco resumed crude oil loading at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after being halted for nearly four months because of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
