4 Filipinos hurt in Saudi airport attack; 3 remain in ICU

Four Filipinos were injured in a missile attack at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with three remaining in intensive care, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the agency continues to monitor the condition of the injured Filipinos following the Houthi missile strike on Saturday, 10 October.

"We continue to monitor the situation," Cacdac said in a radio interview.

According to the DMW chief, one of the four injured Filipinos has been discharged from the hospital, while three remain in intensive care. One of the patients is intubated.

"As it stands, the total remains at four. While one patient has already been discharged from the hospital, the remaining three are still in the ICU, with one currently intubated," he said.

"The two of them are stable. Their situation is more stable, but their condition in the hospital is still critical," Cacdac added.

No Filipino fatalities have been reported.

Saudi Arabian civil aviation authorities earlier reported 12 deaths and 309 injuries following the attack at the Riyadh airport.

Cacdac said the incident also disrupted flights, affecting passengers, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) traveling to and from Saudi Arabia.

The DMW is assisting affected workers, particularly those from the provinces who have no accommodation in Metro Manila while awaiting the resumption of their flights.

Cacdac said the government has not yet identified a need for the mass repatriation of Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia.

"As of now, we haven't seen this yet (repatriation of OFWs from Saudi Arabia)," he said.

Saudi Arabia hosts nearly one million OFWs, according to the DMW.

Meanwhile, personnel from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Riyadh are coordinating with hospitals and local authorities to monitor the injured Filipinos and determine whether other nationals were affected.

Labor Attaché Dominador Salangga is leading the MWO's coordination efforts to ensure that affected workers receive medical assistance and other necessary support.

The DMW assured that it would continue extending assistance to injured Filipinos and monitoring developments in Saudi Arabia.