A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai. AFP
Engineer Hossam Sadek Khalifa died while on duty during evacuation operations at the company’s site following two fires triggered by falling debris from an interception carried out by UAE air defences, according to the statement.
Khalifa served as assistant general manager for quality at Petrojet’s UAE branch.
The evacuation also left four employees with minor injuries, including two Egyptian nationals: Yasser Abdel Salam, a laboratory supervisor, and Mohamed Abdel Rahman, a civil quality control engineer.
Both received prompt medical treatment and were later discharged from the hospital, the ministry added.
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineer Karim Badawi mourned the passing of the Egyptian engineer in an official statement.
“The Egyptian petroleum sector mourns the loss of a dedicated and distinguished professional,” the statement said, describing Khalifa’s career as marked by loyalty, devotion, and commitment to duty.
Since the US-Israel war on Iran began on 28 February, Tehran has launched retaliatory aerial attacks on what it called US military bases and interests, as well as energy facilities across the Gulf.
UAE authorities say that their forces have since intercepted dozens of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
On 1 March, the UAE Ministry of Defence stated that Egyptian nationals were among dozens of people injured in Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting US assets in the UAE, as air defence systems intercepted hundreds of incoming projectiles.
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