2026 Saudi Aramco AW139 crash
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_Leonardo_AW139_at_Wagga_Wagga_Airport.jpg) An AW139 helicopter similar to the one involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 28 June 2026 |
| Summary | Crashed on approach, under investigation |
| Site | |
 | |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Leonardo AW139 |
| Operator | Aloula Aviation for Saudi Aramco |
| Registration | HZ-AL65 (unconfirmed) |
| Flight origin | Unidentified offshore installation, off the coast of Saudi Arabia |
| Destination | Ras Tanura Airport, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia |
| Occupants | 14 |
| Passengers | 12 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 14 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On 28 June 2026, a Leonardo AW139 operating an offshore flight for Saudi Aramco crashed on approach to Ras Tanura Airport, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, killing all 14 people on board. The crash is one of the deadliest civilian aviation accidents in Saudi Arabia in recent years.[1]
Background
[edit]Aircraft
[edit]The aircraft involved in the accident is a Leonardo AW139 operated by Aloula Aviation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco specialized in aviation operations.[2] Its registration is thought to be HZ-AL65, since flight tracking software show that aircraft having a high-descent rate on approach to Ras Tanura, before disappearing from the radar short of the airfield.[3]
Passengers and crew
[edit]There were 14 people on board, all of whom were Saudi nationals. It is unknown how many of the occupants were crew members and passengers.[4] Aramco re-started operations at Ras Tanura only two days before the crash which were halted after the 2026 Iran war.[5]
Accident
[edit]The accident occurred at around 6 pm local time, while the helicopter was on approach to Ras Tanura Airport. Flight tracking software recorded a descent rate of over 1,200 feet per minute (6.1 m/s) before the aircraft disappears from radar.[citation needed]
Reaction
[edit]The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs sent his condolences to families of the victims of the crash. Neither Aramco nor the Saudi government have issued other official statements at the moment.[6]
Condolences were offered internationally by Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.[7]
Investigation
[edit]Saudi authorities have started an investigation into the cause of the crash, and that they will release more information on the aircraft, occupants and circumstances once the initial phase of the investigation is complete. Local authorities confirmed that the accident was not linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "14 Killed After Saudi Aramco Helicopter Crashes Near Ras Tanura; Probe Underway". Aviation Today. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ^ "Saudi Aramco helicopter crash in Ras Tanura kills 14, probe underway". The Economic Times. 28 June 2026. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "Accident Leonardo AW139 HZ-AL65, Sunday 28 June 2026". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ^ Staff, Al Jazeera; Reuters. "Saudi Aramco helicopter crash in Ras Tanura kills all 14 on board". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ^ "Saudi Arabian helicopter crash kills 14". Sky News. 28 June 2026.
- ^ "Fourteen Killed in Aramco Helicopter Crash at Ras Tanura". 28 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ^ "الإمارات والكويت تعزيان السعودية في وفاة طاقم مروحية شركة أرامكو". اخبار الغد (in Arabic). 28 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ^ Riyadh, Vivian NereimReporting from; Arabia, Saudi (28 June 2026). "Helicopter Crash Near Major Saudi Oil Refinery Kills 14 People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 June 2026.