Six people died after a helicopter crashed in Qatar’s territorial waters, the Gulf country’s defence ministry said on Sunday, as search operations continue for one missing person.
Those who lost their lives include three Turkish nationals, among them a serviceman, and three Qatari servicemen. The Ministry of Interior later said seven people were on board at the time of the crash.
Rescue teams have recovered six bodies so far, while efforts are ongoing to locate the seventh individual.
The defence ministry also said the helicopter went down following a “technical malfunction” during routine duty.
Officials said specialized teams are continuing “intensive search operations” in the area as part of the recovery mission.
The Qatari Ministry of Defence said that following the conclusion of search and rescue operations, Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Smeikh of the Qatar Armed Forces was confirmed to have been killed.
Iran has widened the scope of its offensive to target oil and natural gas infrastructure across the Gulf, sharply escalating a conflict that is already rippling through global energy markets.
UAE, Qatar supplies hit
In the UAE, the Habshan gas processing complex was shut after missile debris incidents, and the Bab oil field was targeted. The Ruwais refinery was also shut, and the Fujairah export terminal was hit, reducing oil output in OPEC’s third-largest producer by more than half.
Also read| Why attack on Qatar’s energy infrastructure in Ras Laffan is bad news for India
Qatar, a critical supplier of natural gas to global markets, reported extensive damage after Iranian missiles struck the Ras Laffan LNG facility, where production had already been halted due to earlier attacks.
Strikes also damaged QatarEnergy LNG facilities, affecting around 17% of capacity, while Shell halted operations at the Pearl GTL plant in Ras Laffan. A force majeure declared on LNG shipments earlier this month has disrupted about 20% of global LNG trade.