Hyderabad man dies in Riyadh airport attack, son critical

Portrait of a man with a beard and receding hairline wearing a blue shirt.

 Mohammed Yusuf, a resident of Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad, reportedly died in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed Yusuf, a 46-year-old man from Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad, died on Sunday, October 11, after sustaining critical injuries in an attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a day earlier, his relatives confirmed to Siasat.com.

Yousuf, an IT professional based in Riyadh, had travelled from Hyderabad with his wife, two sons and daughter about a week earlier to perform Umrah. The family was at the airport preparing to travel to Madinah when the attack occurred on Saturday, October 10.

Preliminary reports suggest that debris fell on Yusuf, causing severe injuries to his legs. He reportedly regained consciousness briefly before suffering a heart attack.

His elder son is undergoing knee surgery, while his younger son remains hospitalised and has reportedly had three toes amputated. Yousuf’s wife and daughter are safe, while his aunt (chachi), who was accompanying the family, sustained head injuries but is out of danger, according to an update shared by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on X.

Yusuf reportedly visited Hyderabad every two to three months while working remotely from home before returning to Riyadh. His elder son was pursuing Quran memorisation (Hifz), while his younger son had recently appeared for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). His daughter is a school student.

In his post on X, Owaisi said he had spoken to the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Riyadh about the family’s situation. He also tagged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, requesting that all possible assistance be provided.

Owaisi said the Deputy Chief of Mission had assured him that the family was receiving assistance and that he remained in contact with Yousuf’s brother-in-law in Riyadh.

Indian Embassy to assist with repatriation

The Embassy of India in Riyadh confirmed on Sunday that an Indian national injured in the October 10 attack had died. In a post on X, the embassy expressed condolences to the bereaved family and said it was in contact with them.

The embassy said it would provide all possible support to facilitate the early repatriation of the deceased’s mortal remains.

Jaishankar offers condolences, assures assistance

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed condolences following the death of an Indian national in the Riyadh attack. In a post on X on Sunday, he said he was deeply grieved by the loss of life and extended his sympathies to the bereaved family.

Jaishankar said the Indian Embassy in Riyadh would extend all possible assistance to the family.

The attack killed 12 people and injured 309 others, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The casualties included four Saudi citizens and eight foreign nationals from Bangladesh, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Several injured people were reported to be in critical condition.

GACA announced on Saturday, October 10, that operations at King Khalid International Airport had been temporarily suspended following the attack. The suspension allowed authorities to assess the damage and check the safety of airport facilities in coordination with relevant agencies.

The Saudi-led coalition has vowed a decisive response to the attack, which it attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement. The incident has heightened concerns over civilian safety and aviation security in the region. India and several other countries have condemned the attacks, with New Delhi calling for strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure to cease immediately.