SAUDI ARABIA – Two deadly aircraft crashes on Sunday 28 June left 25 people dead after a plane crashed in France and a helicopter went down in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Aramco helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura, killing all 14 people on board. The incident occurred around 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing an official source at the country’s energy ministry, reported that all those killed were Saudi nationals.

According to Al Jazeera, investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash, with the participation of relevant agencies to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, Royal News English reported.

The Saudi energy ministry extended its condolences to the families of those killed, SPA said.

The crash comes just days after Saudi Aramco resumed crude oil loadings at its Ras Tanura export terminal on Friday, Al Jazeera reported. The terminal had been closed for nearly four months amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

According to Royal News English, Saudi Arabia has since accelerated oil exports as regional producers increase shipments under a temporary agreement aimed at halting the conflict.

Ras Tanura is one of Saudi Aramco’s major oil facilities and serves as a critical export terminal for the world’s largest oil exporter.

The incident marks one of the deadliest aviation accidents involving Saudi Aramco personnel in recent years.

Further details about the victims and the nature of the flight were not immediately available.