Fourteen people are dead after a helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia, with the British government stepping in to offer forensic assistance. The helicopter, operated by a Saudi company, went down in the mountainous Asir region on Monday. Among the dead were several foreign nationals, though the exact breakdown of nationalities has not yet been confirmed.
Officials in Riyadh have not disclosed the cause of the crash, but sources say an investigation is under way. The Foreign Office in London has expressed 'deepest condolences' to the families of the victims and offered the services of British forensic experts. 'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy.
We stand ready to assist our Saudi partners in any way we can,' a spokesperson said. The crash is the deadliest aviation incident in Saudi Arabia since 2017, when a military helicopter went down near the Yemen border. For the families of the 14 victims, the wait for answers has begun.
The Royal Saudi Air Force has not yet released a statement on the crash.
