A helicopter operated by Saudi state-owned oil company, Aramco crashed in eastern Saudi Arabia on Sunday, killing all 14 people on board, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The official news agency, quoting a Ministry of Energy official, said the aircraft went down in Ras Tanura, a major oil-producing city in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

Authorities confirmed that all those who died were Saudi nationals, while an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident.

“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency reported, adding that inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash were ongoing.

Aramco operates one of the region’s largest corporate aviation fleets, with more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters that provide transport services across over 300 heliports within Saudi Arabia.

The incident occurred at a time when Gulf oil-producing nations are increasing production following recent regional tensions, including Iranian attacks and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil and gas exports.

Saudi authorities, however, did not indicate that the helicopter crash was linked to any hostile action.

During the recent Middle East conflict, Iranian attacks targeted several energy facilities across the Gulf region, raising concerns about the security of critical oil infrastructure.

Ras Tanura is home to one of the Middle East’s largest oil refineries, with a production capacity of about 550,000 barrels per day, making it a key component of Saudi Arabia’s energy industry.

The facility has previously come under attack, including an Iranian drone strike during the conflict that triggered a fire and forced a partial suspension of operations.

In April, the Saudi government disclosed that weeks of attacks had disrupted activities at several strategic energy installations, including refineries in Ras Tanura, Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia remains the world’s largest crude oil exporter, with daily production exceeding 10 million barrels.