Saudia pilot killed as missile strikes parked aircraft at Riyadh airport
A missile or missile fragment hit a parked Saudia Airbus at King Khalid International Airport on 8 October, killing a crew member and damaging the aircraft; the incident caused airport closures, delays and flight cancellations.
Casualties
Saudia announced that crew member Captain Pilot Hamoud Ali Al‑Kalthami was killed in the attack, and Saudia also reported that one employee was killed.
Aircraft damage
The parked Airbus belonging to Saudia was seriously damaged, and there were no passengers on board at the time of the attack.
Airport disruption
The airport was closed for about two hours and reopened around 07:00 local time; flight operations resumed normally after 18:00 on Thursday. During the incident, 58 departures were delayed and 11 flights were cancelled, including Saudia’s Dubai flight and Turkish Airlines’ Istanbul flight. By 17:00, almost half of departures from Riyadh airport were cancelled, and Flightradar24 reported numerous delayed arrivals and departures.
Airline and authority response
The Saudi Embassy warned that further cancellations and air‑space restrictions could occur. A Houthi military spokesperson claimed the ballistic missile hit its target and urged airlines to avoid Saudi airspace; a Houthi militia statement also warned employees of energy facilities to stay away. Lufthansa Group suspended flights to Riyadh until 16 October, Air India also suspended flights to Riyadh, and 31 further cancellations were expected at all Saudi airports on Friday.
Analysed 3 reports from 3 sources
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