Saudia pilot among 3 killed in attacks on Riyadh airport
Saudi civil aviation authority says two attacks targeted airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft; airport operations have returned to normal.
Three Saudi nationals, including a pilot of national carrier Saudia, were killed and several others injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday (8 October), Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority said on Friday (9 October).
In a statement on X, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said the first attack targeted airport facilities, while the second struck an aircraft belonging to Saudia.
The attacks caused material damage and left several people injured, with injuries ranging from minor to severe. The injured were taken to hospital for treatment, the authority said.
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Saudia confirmed that its pilot, Captain Hamoud Ali Al-Kalthami, was killed in the attacks. The airline expressed condolences to his family, relatives and colleagues, honouring his contributions to the national carrier and the legacy he left among his colleagues.
The airline also confirmed that one of its aircraft sustained damage while parked at the airport. No passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
"Emergency response teams and competent authorities immediately responded to both attacks upon their occurrence in accordance with approved procedures and plans," GACA said.
The authority said it was coordinating with relevant security agencies to assess the damage and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and airport workers.
Airport operations have since resumed, with air traffic returning to normal, GACA added.
Saudia said its flights and operations at King Khalid International Airport returned to normal at 6pm on Thursday. The airline said it would continue monitoring flight schedules and communicating with passengers through its official channels.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group said on Thursday it had attacked the Riyadh airport with two cruise missiles. It also claimed to have targeted an airport in the southwestern city of Najran and an airbase in Khamis Mushait with ballistic missiles. Saudi authorities have not confirmed the reported attacks on those other locations.
The Houthis said they were targeting Saudi Arabia over its support for government forces in Yemen's renewed civil war. Riyadh has backed an offensive by Yemen's internationally recognised government to retake territory from the group.
The latest casualties came after Saudi authorities reported on Wednesday that three people had been killed in earlier strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports earlier this week.
