Aramco Helicopter Crash in Ras Tanura Kills All 14 on Board

Aramco Helicopter Crash in Ras Tanura Kills All 14 on Board

Fourteen Saudi citizens died on Sunday, June 28, 2026, when a helicopter operated by the state oil company Saudi Aramco crashed in the eastern coastal city of Ras Tanura. The aircraft went down at approximately 06:00 local time, which was 03:00 GMT, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The SPA, citing the country's Ministry of Energy, confirmed that all 14 individuals on board perished in the accident. The Saudi energy ministry has since shared its condolences with the families of the victims.

The crash occurred in Saudi Arabia's energy heartland near the Persian Gulf coast. Ras Tanura is the site of a major Aramco oil refinery, described as one of the largest in the Middle East. While the accident took place in this critical industrial zone, it was not immediately clear if the crash affected any energy facilities.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people. In that statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims over the tragedy.

Relevant authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash, though the Saudi press agency provided no further elaboration on the circumstances leading to the incident.

According to the Reuters news agency, Aramco had resumed crude oil loading at the Ras Tanura site on Friday. This followed a pause of almost four months caused by the war in the Middle East.

The US struck Iranian military targets after Tehran attacked a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. The targeted ship, a very large crude carrier named the Kiku, was carrying about 2 million barrels of Qatari crude. The Kiku last signaled its location off Fujairah, a port in the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman, with its navigation status listed as not under command.

Despite these tit-for-tat assaults, the US Central Command stated on Saturday that commercial vessel transit through the strait continued, although some tankers aborted exit attempts. Hundreds of ships currently remain trapped in the Persian Gulf.

Haris Khurshid, chief investment officer at Chicago-based Karobaar Capital LP, stated:

"The market feels increasingly comfortable treating these moves as tactical rather than structural. Until something fundamentally changes, traders are happy to fade both the rallies and the sell-offs."

Haris Khurshid, chief investment officer at Karobaar Capital LP, via Bloomberg

The volatility has seen Brent oil jump as much as 1.9% to $73.39 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate remained near $70. These fluctuations follow a report that the US and Iran agreed to stop attacking one another.

Axios reported, citing unidentified US officials, that the two sides have agreed to meet on Tuesday in Doha.