Blast at Riyadh airport prompts evacuations and widespread flight cancellations
publishers 15articles 18first reported 8 Oct, 08:10 UTCdeveloping since 8 Oct · 21 editions
A loud blast was heard at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, prompting evacuations from parts of the facility and widespread flight diversions and cancellations, according to eyewitnesses and people briefed on the incident.
More than a dozen ambulances were seen heading to the airport, The Kathmandu Post reported. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed that all Riyadh-bound flights had been diverted or cancelled at one point. Saudi Arabia’s government media office and civil aviation authority had not immediately commented.
The disruption followed an escalation in missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. The airport had been attacked twice earlier in the week, leaving four people dead, injuring others and damaging an aircraft, according to The Kathmandu Post. The Houthis have warned airlines to avoid Saudi airspace after the Saudi-backed Yemeni government launched an offensive against the group.
Kuwait Airways cancelled Saturday flights KU775 and KU776 between Kuwait and Riyadh, citing an airport closure and the security situation. Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways also cancelled several Riyadh services, with some disruptions extending into Monday. Pakistan International Airlines temporarily suspended Riyadh flights, while KLM and Air France had already halted services to the Saudi capital until October 24.
Flights connecting Saudi Arabia with Kochi were also affected Saturday. Saudia and Akasa Air cancelled Jeddah-Kochi services, while Air India Express cancelled a Riyadh-to-Kochi flight. The airport advised passengers to confirm flight status with their airlines before travelling.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 5 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 54 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 15
- Source articles
- 18
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 5
- This version written
- 54 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →