Three Killed in Riyadh Airport Attacks; Saudia Employee Among Victims

Three Saudi citizens were killed and several others injured in two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said.

Saudia confirmed that one of its employees was among those killed. The airline also said an aircraft was damaged while on the ground, with no passengers on board.

According to GACA’s statement issued on Friday, the first attack targeted airport facilities and the second targeted a Saudia aircraft. The injured included Saudi citizens and residents of different nationalities, with injuries ranging from minor to critical.

All those injured were taken to hospitals for treatment. The attacks also caused property damage, the authority said.

AIRPORT OPERATIONS RESUME

GACA said emergency teams and relevant agencies responded immediately under established emergency procedures. Airport operations subsequently resumed, and air traffic returned to normal.

The authority said it was coordinating with other agencies to complete damage assessments, check the safety of facilities and take measures to protect passengers and airport personnel.

Saudia said its flights and operations at King Khalid International Airport returned to normal at 6 pm local time on Thursday, October 8. It continued to monitor schedules and communicate with passengers through official channels.

SAUDIA CONFIRMS EMPLOYEE’S DEATH

“Saudia confirms that the incident at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh resulted in the loss of one of its employees. The airline extends its deepest condolences to his family,” the carrier said.

It said emergency response procedures were activated immediately in coordination with the authorities. These included monitoring those affected and providing care and support to them and their families.

“The incident also caused damage to one of its aircraft while it was on the ground at the airport. No passengers were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident,” Saudia added.

The latest statements follow earlier attacks on Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport on October 6 and 7.

According to GACA’s earlier account, those attacks killed three people and injured 36. Two people were killed and 28 injured at Abha, while one person was killed and eight injured at King Khalid International Airport.

With inputs from ANI