Fourteen people died Sunday morning when a helicopter belonging to Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company, crashed in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Ras Tanura. The Saudi Ministry of Energy confirmed the fatalities, stating all on board were Saudi nationals.
An investigation into the cause of the crash has been initiated. The helicopter was reportedly operating around 6 a.m. when the incident occurred.
Aramco, majority-owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has recently navigated disruptions to oil supplies and price fluctuations amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The company has previously stated its efforts to reroute some oil exports through a pipeline to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane experiencing increased tensions.