2026 Saudi Aramco AW139 crash
_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 |
| 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
Aircraft
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
There were 14 people on board, including 12 passengers and two pilots, all of whom were Saudi nationals.[4] The pilots on board were Captains Mohammed al-Kooheji and Ghaith al-Shibl.[5] Aramco re-started operations at Ras Tanura only two days before the crash which were halted after the 2026 Iran war.[6]
Accident
The accident occurred at around 6 am 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.
Reaction
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.[7] Funeral prayers for the victims were held the day after the crash, and were attended by Saudi political figures.[8]
Condolences were offered internationally by Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Oman.[9]
Investigation
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 directly linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran.[10]
References
- ↑ "14 Killed After Saudi Aramco Helicopter Crashes Near Ras Tanura; Probe Underway". Aviation Today. Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ↑ "Saudi Aramco helicopter crash in Ras Tanura kills 14, probe underway". The Economic Times. 28 June 2026. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on 28 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ Ranter, Harro. "Accident Leonardo AW139 HZ-AL65, Sunday 28 June 2026". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Saudi Aramco helicopter crash in Ras Tanura kills all 14 on board". Al Jazeera. Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ الزامل, علي (30 June 2026). "أول صورة للطيارين "محمد الكوهجي وغيث الشبل" اللذين استُشهدا في سقوط المروحية التابعة لشركة أرامكو" [First photo of pilots “Mohammed al-Kooheji and Ghaith al-Shibl,” who were killed in the crash of the Aramco helicopter]. al-marsd.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 30 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. Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "Funeral prayers held for victims of helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia". 30 June 2026. Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- ↑ "الإمارات والكويت تعزيان السعودية في وفاة طاقم مروحية شركة أرامكو" [The UAE and Kuwait Offer Condolences to Saudi Arabia on the Death of the Aramco Helicopter Crew]. اخبار الغد (in Arabic). 28 June 2026. Archived from the original on 30 June 2026. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ Vivian Nereim (28 June 2026). "Helicopter Crash Near Major Saudi Oil Refinery Kills 14 People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 June 2026.