Loud blast heard at Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia; passengers evacuated

A loud blast was heard at the airport in the Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh on Saturday, an eyewitness and people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

According to AFP, the authorities are evacuating people from the Riyadh airport, following loud blasts at the Saudi site. Regional officials cited by the agency confirmed that the airport in the Saudi Arabian capital has faced another attack.

There was no official statement from Saudi Arabia government's media office and the Saudi civil aviation authority.


Also read: Air India, Air India Express extend Riyadh flight cancellations amid rising Saudi Arabia tensions

Riyadh airport had been evacuated, and air traffic had stopped, officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh issued a passenger advisory urging travellers to contact their respective airlines before heading there.

The airport had issued a similar advisory on Thursday, when a fatal attack killed three people.

"Please contact your airline directly and confirm your flight status before heading to the airport," read a statement posted on the airport's official X account.

The Saudi airport has been targeted in a series of attacks through the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen.

Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for the earlier attacks, including another on Wednesday that killed a Sudanese national and wounded eight other people.

Air India Express, Air India extend flight cancellation to and from Riyadh

Air India Express and Air India extended the cancellation of flights to and from Riyadh amid the evolving situation in Saudi Arabia, officials told PTI.

Air India Express has cancelled the services till October 14, while Air India has suspended the flights till October 15.

Earlier on Thursday, both airlines had announced cancelling Riyadh flights till October 10.

The officials, as quoted by PTI, said the airlines are closely monitoring the situation and assessing the development in the region.

Air India Express and Air India are offering full refunds on cancellation to affected passengers.

Air India Express operates 16 weekly flights to Riyadh from four Indian cities, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kannur and Kozhikode. Air India operates seven weekly flights to Riyadh from Delhi and Mumbai.

Akasa Air has also cancelled all Riyadh flights till October 11.