Nepali national killed in drone incident at Saudi Aramco oil facility

Shaybah, Saudi Arabia, October 22, 2026 — A Nepali national and a Filipino national were killed after debris from an intercepted drone struck a Saudi Aramco oil facility in southeastern Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Two other people, including an Indian national, were injured.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the drone had targeted the Shaybah oil field near the border with the United Arab Emirates. The ministry did not identify who launched the drone.

“The attempted attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, a Filipino and a Nepali, and injuries to two others,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the injured individuals were Pakistani and Indian nationals. Debris from the intercepted drone also started a fire in a contractor’s vehicle at the facility.

The identity, hometown and employment details of the deceased Nepali national have not been publicly released by Saudi authorities. Information about arrangements to repatriate the body was also not available in the report.

The incident occurred amid a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia’s airports and energy infrastructure attributed to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. However, Saudi authorities have not publicly identified the group responsible for the latest attempted attack on the Shaybah oil field.

The death highlights the risks faced by Nepali migrant workers employed across the Gulf region, including in construction, services and energy-related operations.