Last Updated on June 23, 2026 12:45 am by BIZNAMA NEWS
Our Correspondent
Qatari authorities have confirmed that 12 Indians were among those killed in an explosion that rocked Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex on Sunday, the Indian Embassy in Qatar said.
“Qatari authorities have confirmed that 12 Indian nationals have unfortunately passed away in the Ras Laffan incident yesterday night. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the departed souls,” the embassy said in a statement.
At least 13 people were killed, and 66 others were injured in the explosoon, the Middle Eastern nation’s energy minister confirmed on earlier on Monday.
“I find myself today having to do something I have always hoped will never happen, and that is to announce, the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities,” Qatar’s energy minister Saad al-Kaabi told reporters on Monday.
He said 66 others have been injured in the blast, which happened as workers were restarting operations, which were halted after an Iranian attack in March.
The minister did not provide any detail on how many Indians had been killed in the incident.
“Sixty-six people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition,” al-Kaabi said, addressing a press conference.
On Sunday evening, authorities had said a “technical accident” had at the Barzan local gas supply facility.
The Qatar Energy Ministry said the plant’s export capabilities were not affected due to the accident, and there was no risk to the environment.
“This will not affect in any way our exports to the world,” Saad al-Kaabi told reporters, adding that “this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature”
QatarEnergy did not give out any detail on where inside the plant the explosion took place. The exact extent of the damage due to the explosion was also not disclosed. However, al-Kaabi said an investigation was launched into the incident.
The Barzan plant had a capacity of almost 1.4 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day, which Qatar used primarily for local electricity generation and to power its crucial water desalination plants in the desert reaches of the Arabian Peninsula.
Qatar’s state-owned energy company said the blast occurred “during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City, which resulted in an explosion and fire at Barzan local gas supply facility”.
Late Sunday, QatarEnergy said the fire had been brought under control after emergency response teams were deployed.
Ras Laffan had already been badly damaged in the US-Iran war as Iranian strikes targeted Gulf energy infrastructure and forced Qatar to halt gas production.
The deadly accident comes as hyrdocarbon-rich Gulf nations face challenges in boosting their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.
Kaabi said the status of the Strait and attacks on Gulf nations remained a “geopolitical, military issue” drawing a line between Sunday’s explosion which he said was “different”.