Telangana Man Dies Following Riyadh Airport Missile Attack
Shaik Sayeed, a Telangana man, has died after a 25-day struggle following the Houthi missile attack at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
Shaik Sayeed, a 36-year-old man from Kamareddy, Telangana, has passed away after a 25-day battle for his life following a Houthi missile attack at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.
Sayeed, who had been working in Saudi Arabia for nearly 12 years as a Starbucks employee, succumbed to his injuries while in the intensive care unit of the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital. His death marks the second Indian fatality resulting from the missile strike that occurred on October 10.
The Toll of the Riyadh Airport Strike
The October 10 attack caused significant casualties and widespread disruption. The strike resulted in 14 deaths and left over 300 individuals injured. The confirmed fatalities included:
- Four Saudi nationals
- Two Indian nationals
- Two Bangladeshi nationals
The first Indian national to die from the incident was 46-year-old Mohammed Yousuf Ali, an IT professional from Hyderabad. His two sons also sustained severe injuries during the blast.
Family Bereavement and Embassy Response
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed Sayeed's passing on November 4, with Ambassador Shri Vipul expressing his condolences to the grieving family. Sayeed’s family, residing in Saini Baba Colony in Kamareddy, has decided to conduct his burial in Saudi Arabia.
While Sayeed has passed, another Indian national from Kerala remains in an intensive care unit in stable condition following the same incident.
Rising Risks for Indian Nationals in the Region
The death of Sayeed is part of a broader pattern of regional instability affecting Indian citizens working in various sectors. Recent maritime incidents have also resulted in loss of life.
On November 2, Gandhar Nahim Ajij, a sailor from Devbhumi Dwarka, Gujarat, was killed when an unidentified aerial object struck the Indian-flagged vessel MSV Al Jusufi near the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was transporting approximately 900-950 tonnes of dates from the UAE's Hamriyah Port to Porbandar when the strike occurred.
Although the Omani Coast Guard successfully rescued thirteen crew members, Ajij succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a hospital and was subsequently buried in Oman. Reports indicate that since February, between 22 and 24 Indians have lost their lives in various regional maritime and aerial incidents, including 14 to 15 seafarers.