It was Wednesday when the strike came in and put an end to a brief lull, sending some flights in another direction and prompting a quick call from consular services. The damage to the terminal and the injuries it caused have put Kuwait back in the spotlight, not long after we were told of a ceasefire in the Iran war on April 8.
What unfolded at the airport
You could tell right away how hard the early morning hit was on the country’s main hub. Authorities are saying Terminal 1 has been badly damaged. They put a hold on operations to let their teams make sure the building was sound before anything else.
There were reports of debris still smoldering in a Sabah Al Nasser parking lot, which says it all about the power of the attack. The state news agency put it on record that there were several hurt and that for a while, you couldn’t go about your business at the airport as you normally would.
Flights resume from an alternative terminal
Kuwait Airways was the first to put out word that they’d be reworking their Wednesday schedule to be on the safe side. But it didn’t take long for the civil aviation authority to say the airline was back in the air, this time from Terminal 4, once they had done their due diligence.
While officials are still looking over the rest of the facilities, having some kind of continuity is a relief. The General Civil Aviation Authority is clear on the severity of what happened to Terminal 1, so don’t be surprised if there are some access issues for a while as they get to work on it.
India’s outreach after the casualty
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait has made it known that one of their own has been lost and has its head down with the family. They’re in close contact with the Kuwaitis and making sure the family and anyone with injuries get what they need.
In a statement, the mission put out its deepest sympathies and made it clear they are in the thick of it with the family. They plan to keep an eye on how things develop and stay in the loop with local agencies to be of service to any of our people in the area.
For now, here is where the authorities are focused:
– Working with the Kuwaitis on the ground
– Being there for the family of the deceased
– Lending a hand to the injured
– Watching the situation as it is
Signals of a wider escalation
This is a step up for an oil-rich state like Kuwait and a US ally, especially after the quiet we’ve had since the 8th. Word is Iran has been busy with a round of missiles and drones aimed at Kuwait and some of its neighbours.
The US military has it on file that two of the missiles fired at Kuwait either fell short or came apart. Over in Bahrain, they and the Americans put an end to three more, so no one was made to pay for those. It’s a sign of how far the strikes have been reaching.
Then Central Command came out and said a whole other set of drones meant for US troops in Kuwait didn’t make their mark, and neither did some ballistic ones on the way to other countries. They’ve been on the offensive in return, with some action on Qeshm Island and a few intercepts of their own.
What comes next for travellers and operations
They are still in the process of seeing just how much the airport and other infrastructure have to deal with. For the most part, we’ve seen a return to some normalcy from the other side of the tarmac as the safety checks have been put in place.
Being in Terminal 4 has taken the edge off for now, but the work ahead for Terminal 1 will be the story for the near term. We’ll have to wait for the final word from the authorities and the airlines as they put their plans in order.
