Saudi Aramco helicopter crash kills all 14 on board

Riyadh (Web Desk/Agencies): A helicopter operated by Saudi oil giant Aramco crashed on Sunday in Ras Tanura, a key coastal city on Saudi Arabia's eastern Gulf shore, west of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the lives of 14 Saudi nationals. The country's state news agency reported that the cause of the crash has not yet been identified.

The accident occurred just two days after Aramco restarted crude oil loading operations at its Ras Tanura export terminal, following a suspension that had lasted for almost four months.

According to the state news agency, the competent authorities have initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine what led to the fatal crash.

Aramco did not immediately issue a statement or respond to an emailed request seeking comment on the incident.

The helicopter went down at approximately 6:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT), the state news agency said, without disclosing additional information about the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The incident comes as Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, joins other Middle Eastern energy producers in accelerating oil and gas shipments ahead of an interim agreement aimed at bringing an end to the conflict between the United States and Iran.