Fourteen people were killed when a helicopter operated by Saudi Aramco crashed in Ras Tanura on Sunday (June 28), at approximately 6:00 am, a Saudi Ministry of Energy statement said.

All the dead were Saudi nationals, the statement said. 

The relevant authorities have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the crash, it said.

"The Ministry of Energy extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the families of the martyrs, praying that Almighty Allah grants them mercy and forgiveness and accepts them as martyrs," it said.

Aramco ​had resumed crude oil loadings on ​Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Gulf after they were halted ​for nearly four months.

Ras Tanura, on Saudi Arabia's eastern Gulf coast, is one of the world's most important oil export hubs and a cornerstone of the kingdom's energy industry. Operated by Saudi Aramco, the terminal handles a significant share of Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports and is connected by pipelines to major oil fields, including the Ghawar Oil Field, the world's largest conventional oil field. The complex also includes one of the country's largest refineries, making it a critical link in global oil supply chains.-TradeArabia News Service