Overview
- India’s External Affairs Ministry confirmed an Indian national died in Riyadh on March 18 during attacks on the Saudi capital, with the embassy assisting the family and local coordination for repatriation.
- The death raises Indian fatalities linked to the West Asia conflict to six, and one person remains unaccounted for as missions in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq and the UAE work with authorities.
- Roughly 300,000 passengers have returned to India from the region since February 28 as flight operations improve, including about 90 services from the UAE on Friday and 10 non‑scheduled Qatar Airways flights after a partial airspace reopening.
- Kuwait and Bahrain airspace remain closed, with carriers arranging workarounds such as Jazeera Airways’ special services from Saudi Arabia’s Al Qaisumah and Gulf Air flights from Dammam to facilitate travel.
- Fifteen Indian crew from MT Safesea Vishnu are returning via Saudi Arabia after rescue in Iraq, following earlier returns of 24 seafarers from Oman, while officials note the exact circumstances of the Riyadh death are still unclear.