An Indian national was killed and three others remain in intensive care following a projectile strike at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said on Monday. The three patients are stable, while two other injured Indians are being treated in regular hospital wards.
The deceased, Mohammed Yousuf, a 46-year-old IT professional from Hyderabad, was travelling with his wife and three children for the Umrah pilgrimage when the incident occurred on October 10. His family members were also injured and are receiving treatment in Riyadh.
According to reports, the family was waiting near a check-in kiosk to board a flight to Madinah when a projectile struck the airport premises at around 3 pm local time. Yousuf sustained critical injuries and later died.
The Embassy said its officials had visited all hospitals treating Indian nationals injured in the incident. It thanked Saudi authorities for providing medical assistance and assured the affected families of “all possible support”.
“Our Embassy officials have visited all hospitals where Indian nationals injured in the attack have been admitted. As mentioned earlier, 1 Indian national unfortunately passed away today, 3 are in ICU, but stable, 2 more are admitted in normal wards while others have been discharged,” the Embassy said in a post on X.
“We thank the Saudi authorities for the medical care provided to the injured Indian nationals and assure the families that the Embassy will provide all possible support,” it added.
The Embassy urged Indians in Saudi Arabia to exercise caution, stay indoors where necessary and keep track of instructions issued by local authorities through official channels.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also expressed condolences over Yousuf’s death, assuring the bereaved family of all possible assistance through the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia.
“Deeply grieved at the loss of life of an Indian national in the Riyadh attack. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The Embassy will extend all possible assistance,” EAM’s X post read.
The mission had earlier confirmed the death on Sunday and said it was coordinating with the family to facilitate the early return of Yousuf’s mortal remains to India.
Among those injured is Sheikh Saeed, a resident of Sailani Baba Colony in Kamareddy, Telangana, who has worked at Riyadh airport for five years. His family was unable to locate him immediately after the incident and searched several hospitals in the Saudi capital.
His relatives later learnt that he was being treated in an intensive care unit. Although the news brought some relief, the family remains concerned about his condition. Saeed has two daughters and a son.
The strike was part of a series of attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. A projectile struck a passenger terminal at Riyadh airport on Sunday, a day after the earlier incident. The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen reported the latest strike, while the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation also confirmed that King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, in the kingdom’s Eastern Province, was targeted on Sunday evening.
The Saturday strike at Riyadh airport killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to initial reports cited by Reuters. The attacks have raised concerns over the safety of civilian infrastructure amid escalating regional hostilities.
