Indian nationals were among those injured and missing following an explosion at the massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas complex in Qatar, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Qatari authorities said that a “technical accident” occurred at the gas supply facility on Sunday evening while workers were resuming operations that had been halted after an Iranian attack in March. Reuters reported that the explosion killed 13 people and injured dozens.
The above-mentioned people said that at least one Indian national was reported missing and several others injured in the incident.
The Indian Embassy in Doha expressed deep concern over the “unfortunate incident” that occurred in Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday and said that “several people” were injured and some were reported missing.
“In this difficult and challenging time, the Embassy of India and the entire Indian community in Qatar stand in solidarity with the government and people of Qatar. We wish a speedy recovery to the injured and hope and pray for the safety of the missing,” the embassy said in a social media post.
The Qatari Ministry of Energy said in a statement that 13 people were killed and 66 others were injured in an accident that occurred on Sunday at a factory in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area. Earlier, the Qatari Ministry of Interior announced that 54 people were injured in the accident.
The Ministry of Interior said, in a statement published on social media, that the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group is working in coordination with civil defense teams to carry out searches for 18 missing persons.
The Interior Ministry also said that preliminary findings indicate that the accident resulted from a “technical malfunction during operations at the facility.” She reassured the public that there was no serious leak that could pose a threat to public safety.
Qatar, which hosts a major US military base, has been subjected to Iranian missile and drone attacks during the conflict in West Asia.
Qatar is home to more than 830,000 Indian nationals, the largest expatriate community in the country. Indians work in professions such as medicine, engineering, education, finance, and business, in addition to a large number of blue-collar workers.
