A helicopter belonging to Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco crashed on Sunday in Ras Tanura on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast west of the Strait of Hormuz, killing 14 nationals, according to reports from Business Standard. The state news agency reported that the cause of the crash remains unknown at this time.
The helicopter crash occurred as Aramco had resumed crude oil loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after they were halted for nearly four months, as reported by Business Standard. Two very large crude carriers, each capable of loading 2 million barrels, took on crude at the terminal, while another waited nearby, according to the latest data. This resumption of operations comes as Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has joined a rush to move cargoes following increased Middle East oil and gas output and exports.
According to the state news agency, investigations are under way, with the participation of relevant authorities, to determine the causes of the helicopter crash, as reported by Business Standard. The investigation aims to identify the factors that led to the fatal incident in the strategic oil terminal location.
Despite the helicopter crash and ongoing operational challenges, crude shipments through the Strait rose last week to their highest level since the US-Israel conflict with Iran began at the end of February, as reported by The Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development. However, overall traffic remains well below the pre-war daily average despite the ceasefire that reopened the waterway. The incident highlights the ongoing operational challenges in the region's critical energy infrastructure amid resumed oil operations.
