External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Tuesday expressed condolences following a deadly explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City that claimed the lives of 13 workers, including 12 Indian nationals.

In his first official statement after the incident, Jaishankar said he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries caused by the explosion.

Embassy Assisting Affected Families

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives and injuries, including of Indian nationals, in the explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City,” Jaishankar said.

He added that the Indian Embassy in Qatar remains in close contact with Qatari authorities and is actively reaching out to provide assistance to the families of the affected Indian nationals.

Blast at Major LNG Facility

The explosion occurred on Sunday evening at the Barzan gas supply facility, part of Qatar’s sprawling Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hubs.

The facility was reportedly in the process of restarting operations after activities had been suspended following an Iranian missile attack earlier this year.

13 Workers Killed

The Indian Embassy confirmed that 12 Indian nationals were among the 13 workers killed in the blast.

Qatar’s Energy Minister and QatarEnergy Chief Executive Saad al-Kaabi said the victims were workers from India and Pakistan.

Investigation Underway

Qatari authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the explosion, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

The tragedy has drawn attention due to the large number of Indian workers employed in Qatar’s energy sector and the strategic importance of the Ras Laffan LNG complex to global energy markets.

(with inputs from agencies)