22 Indians Confirmed Dead in Escalating West Asia Conflict
India confirms 22 of its citizens have died in the ongoing West Asia conflict, including 14 seafarers and victims of airport strikes in Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that 22 Indian nationals have lost their lives due to the intensifying conflict in West Asia since late February. Among the deceased, 14 were identified as seafarers, highlighting the extreme risks faced by Indian workers in the region's maritime and aviation sectors.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal provided the update, noting that the escalation—marked by Houthi missile and drone strikes targeting civilian infrastructure—has taken a heavy toll on the Indian diaspora. Three of the confirmed deaths occurred within Saudi Arabia.
Tragedies at Saudi Arabian Airports
The conflict has struck major transit hubs, leading to heartbreaking losses for Indian families. On October 10, a projectile strike at Terminal 3 of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh caused widespread devastation, resulting in 13 total deaths and over 300 injuries.
Among those killed was Mohammed Yousuf Ali, a 46-year-old IT engineer from Hyderabad. The strike also left his family in critical condition: his sons, 18-year-old Aman and 16-year-old Wasi, sustained severe injuries, while his wife and daughter suffered shrapnel wounds. At least 11 Indians were injured during this specific attack, with two still fighting for their lives in intensive care.
A second strike occurred on October 21 at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The attack claimed the life of Kamlesh Pandey, a 36-year-old Indian bus driver and ground staffer from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The incident also killed one Saudi airport worker and injured eight others, including two additional Indian citizens.
On the same day, debris from an intercepted drone at the Shaybah oil field caused further casualties, killing a Filipino and a Nepali national, while injuring an Indian citizen and a Pakistani national.
Maritime Risks and Missing Seafarers
The maritime sector has been particularly hard hit, with 14 Indian seafarers confirmed dead. On October 11, a drone strike targeted the Nicaragua-flagged MT Petro Dolphin at the Sohar Anchorage in Oman.
While nine Indian crew members were successfully recovered, the tragedy remains unresolved for two families. Amit Singh of Kushinagar and Bir Bahadur Yadav of Deoria remain missing. Other maritime fatalities have been recorded on various foreign-flagged vessels off the same coastline.
Flight Suspensions and Mass Departures
The instability has triggered a significant movement of people, with more than 300,000 Indians departing the region since February.
Aviation services have been heavily impacted by the violence. Major carriers, including Air India and IndiGo, have suspended direct flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Travelers are currently relying on partial flight restorations through transit hubs in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has issued urgent advisories, instructing residents to remain indoors during aerial alerts and to refrain from filming any attacks. Meanwhile, consular teams in Jeddah are working to assist displaced Umrah pilgrims, as the Ministry maintains close communication with the community regarding their safety and wellbeing.