A Shetland oil worker has described a 'lucky escape' after two Iranian drones struck near his accommodation at an oil field in southern Iraq but failed to detonate. Ross Slater, 44, was around 100 metres from where the devices landed during the early morning attack near Basra. He and hundreds of colleagues were evacuated soon after.

The attacks came amid escalating regional tensions, with Iran launching strikes across the Middle East in response to actions by the United States and Israel. Slater said workers had previously been told Iraqi oil fields were not targets, making the incident both shocking and surreal. No alarm sounded after the first drone strike, and staff were left moving around camp in protective gear as evacuation plans unfolded.

Slater spent three days travelling through Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Amsterdam before returning to Scotland. He said production at the vast oil field, which he described as larger than the entire oil sector of the United Kingdom, has largely been suspended, dealing a major blow to Iraq's oil dependent economy.

He raised concerns that worker camps were designed to prevent ground attacks rather than aerial threats, complicating efforts to ensure safety before operations resume. For now, he is relieved to be home in Scotland while companies assess when it will be safe for staff to return.