Six Indians Dead, One Missing in Houthi Missile and Drone Strikes
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that six Indian nationals have died and one remains missing as a result of the escalating conflict in the Gulf. Since the hostilities began on February 28, approximately 300,000 Indians have departed the region. During an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi, Additional Secretary (Gulf) Aseem R. Mahajan stated that Indian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, and the UAE are currently leading repatriation and search operations.
Tragedy at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport
A major escalation occurred on October 10 when a Houthi missile struck Terminal 3 at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The attack resulted in 13 deaths and left more than 300 people injured, including 11 Indian nationals.
Among those killed was 46-year-old Mohammed Yousuf Ali, an IT professional from Mehdipatnam, Hyderabad. Mr. Ali was traveling with his family to perform Umrah when the strike occurred. While Mr. Ali died from his injuries, his wife Sameera, his sons Aman (18) and Wasi (16), his daughter Maryam (11), and his aunt Atiya Sultana all sustained various injuries. Both Aman and his aunt required surgical procedures following the blast. Ambassador Vipul attended Mr. Ali's funeral in Riyadh, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
Maritime Strikes and Missing Seafarers
The conflict has also heavily impacted maritime safety in the region. On October 11, a drone strike hit the Nicaragua-flagged tanker MT Petro Dolphin at the Sohar Anchorage off the coast of Oman. While nine of the 11 Indian crew members were successfully rescued, two seafarers from Uttar Pradesh remain missing:
- Amit Singh (approximately 20-25 years old) from Kushinagar.
- Bir Bahadur Yadav (approximately 25-26 years old) from Deoria.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that a search-and-rescue operation is currently being conducted by the local Coast Guard.
On the same day, the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera was struck in the Strait of Hormuz. Fortunately, all 11 Indian crew members on board the vessel survived the incident.
Flight Suspensions and Travel Advisories
In response to the heightened security risks, several major airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and Akasa, have suspended all flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. These suspensions are expected to remain in place through October 24.
Authorities are urging Indian citizens in the region to exercise extreme caution. Travelers are advised to utilize alternative exit routes through Bahrain, Kuwait, or Qatar to ensure safe passage out of the conflict zones.
International Condemnation and Other Casualties
At the UN Security Council, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish condemned the strikes on civilian infrastructure and maritime vessels, specifically highlighting the impact on the India-flagged MV DP World Kaveri.
In a separate incident unrelated to the missile strikes, 27-year-old Kashireddy Rakesh from Telangana died in Jizan, Saudi Arabia, following a crane accident on October 13.