Missile attacks halt Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport, casualties reported differently
Written by AI from 8 reports listed below. Not checked by a person before publication. How we use AI
A series of missile attacks on King Khalid International Airport led to a suspension of operations and widespread flight cancellations, while reports differ on the number of deaths and injuries.
Attack on 10 October
A missile launched from Houthi‑controlled territory struck Terminal 3 of King Khalid International Airport on 10 October, killing 12 people and injuring 309. All airport operations were suspended immediately and a flight ban was extended until at least midnight on 12 October. The strike followed attacks two days earlier that killed three Saudi nationals, including a Saudia captain, and damaged a Saudia Airbus A320‑family aircraft parked at a gate.
Earlier fire incident
On 8 October a Saudia aircraft caught fire while parked at the airport and is considered a likely hull loss. The Houthis claimed to have launched a ballistic missile at the airport; Saudi authorities said missiles heading toward Riyadh were intercepted, with debris damaging a kindergarten and a medical clinic. Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to Riyadh following the incident.
Conflicting casualty reports
GACA confirmed that three Saudi citizens were killed and 36 people injured in the attacks, while another GACA statement said three foreign nationals were killed and 36 injured. Separate reports state that the Saturday attack killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, and that the Sunday attack killed one person and injured 11. The 10 October strike was reported to have caused 12 deaths and 309 injuries.
Flight cancellations
The airport cancelled 99.7 % of scheduled flights on Sunday, with about 60 % expected to be cancelled on Monday; FlightRadar24 estimated cancellations at roughly 78 % on Monday. Cirium recorded 293 canceled or non‑operating flights on Thursday, about 39 % of scheduled arrivals and departures. Saudia cancelled 162 scheduled flights and delayed 108, flyadeal recorded 39 cancellations and 53 delays, and flynas logged 37 cancellations and 86 delays. Lufthansa cancelled all flights to Riyadh until 16 October and Air France‑KLM extended its suspension of services to and from Riyadh until the end of the month.
Extended suspension
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport without specifying a resumption date, and the airport has remained closed since Saturday. The 25th World Petroleum Council Energy Congress opened in Riyadh on 12 October amid the travel disruptions.
What's still unclear
Sources give differing casualty figures: 12 deaths and 309 injuries (aerotime.aero); three Saudi deaths and 36 injuries (economictimes.indiatimes.com); three foreign deaths and 36 injuries (simpleflying.com); 13 deaths and more than 300 injuries (channelnewsasia.com and english.news.cn).
Analysed 8 reports from 8 publishers
Used in this story
- aerotime.aero
- economictimes.indiatimes.com
- aviation24.be
- simpleflying.com
- airlive.net
- livefromalounge.com
- channelnewsasia.com
- english.news.cn
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