Two passengers – not related to each other or traveling together – died on the same Saudia flight on Friday, and the airline experienced two bomb scares in four days amidst escalating tensions in the region.
On Friday, June 20, 2025, two passengers died onboard a Saudia flight to Surabaya, Indonesia. One passenger was 67 and the other 85. They both passed at almost the same exact moment, about an hour prior to landing. One died of complications from high blood pressure, while the other is believed to have had a heart attack.
There was a doctor onboard who – along with other Hajj pilgrim physicians – administered aid to both passengers, however they were declared dead within 5 minutes of each other. Bodies were flown home. Both were from Bangkalan in Indonesia, and the East Java province regency has had a total of four Hajj‑related fatalities this year – one pre‑departure, one during the pilgrimage, and two now on their return flight.
Meanwhile on Saturday morning, June 21, Saudia flight 5688 was en route from Jeddah to Muscat to Surabaya when Jakarta air traffic control received a bomb threat against the Airbus A330. The flight diverted to Kualanamu International in Medan with 13 crew and 376 Hajj pilgrims onboard. The aircraft was swept and cleared.
This was the second Saudia Hajj pilgrimage flight bomb scare in four days, with the first involving a Jeddah to Jakarta flight which also diverted to Medan.
Elderly pilgrims are at high risk during long-haul flights, especially after emotional and physical strain of Hajj. However one of the deaths was relatively young. Two bomb threats in four days involving different Saudia flights could be coincidence but occur against regional instability, with Saudi Arabia predominantly Sunni, while the Iranian Islamic Republic is Shia. They’ve been on opposite sides of most regional conflicts. And they’re leading oil producers, with Saudi Arabia usually aligning with the West and Iran regularly aligning with enemies of the West.
The bomb threats have nothing to do with the two passengers’ deaths. Why are they in the same headline and article to make it seem like they are related?
A lot of Haj pilgrims die en route the same way that many pilgrims to Lourdes die en route. The very nature of such a pilgrimage means that there will be a high percentage of ill and elderly people who are near the end of their lives and who hope to be cured, redeemed, or otherwise saved. It’s not a random sample.
Yup, people ‘pass’ naturally in all sorts of places… speaking of, you’d hope they don’t let out ‘explosive’ diarrhea when they do… See @Omar, if you’re creative enough, Gary’s combo does make sense!
@L737 — Reminds me of that Palestinian alarm clock….
Too much McDonalds and other American fast food, lack of excercise and being overweight can do that to you. RIP
@Mueli Shmidt — Perfectly ‘healthy’ folks can suffer a random fatal aneurysm or get hit by a bus, too. So, let’s not knock the Egg McMuffin, sir or madam. Like, try to just live the life you wanna live, and when your time comes, you don’t really get a choice but to accept it. And, those hash browns are delicious, too. Have you ever tried Dunkin? Mmm. Boston creme. Yeah, these wellness scams might seem like they can ensure ‘longevity,’ but it’s really just a fitness circlejerk, fam.
Feels like many of my flights to FLL. I stand at the gate, look around and wonder who will succumb at 35K feet. Nothing like dying surrounded by 200 of your closest friends and family.
@Parker — Well, if they don’t pass on the way, once all those 80+ get in their 30 year old Cadillacs and hightail it on the highway, they’ll take a few of us with them!
Since you ‘FLL’ often, have they finally finished all that construction on 95/595 interchange? It’s been a few years, but I loathed that area. Awful traffic.
Also, were you there in April 2023 when the airport flooded? Wild.
@1990 Working as I do I am reminded almost daily how fragile life is and that it can all be taken away in a moment. Nothing is inherently good or bad. It how and how much you use it. So, I will have that tasty box of Popeye’s (thank you kindly)…but only once in a while.
I want to live until I can’t wipe my own rear…then I’m done. And while I’m here I’m going to enjoy the ride as much as I can without being a bad person. If the fitness guru are enjoying life as much as I am then good for them. I’m just not sure how they do it without a DQ Blizzard from time to time.
@Parker — Louisiana Fast! Love me some Cajun spices. I’ll admit Checkers (and Miami Subs, back in the day) have the best fries around. And, there was a DQ in Wilton Manors that I may have frequented one too many times. Bah!
Oh, and Gary should be pleased to know that I’ve already pre-ordered my Shake Shack cheeseburger for my upcoming Delta flight.
@1990 the 95-595 construction has about a year left. It’s gotten better. All the overpasses are constructed. Used to zoom bird down here. Now full time for about a year and then the zoombirding resumes.
Next up is the 95-Sawgrass interchange project. Will impact everyone in 95 at the Broward-Palm beach line. Will continue until 2033.
Add to the risks the ones doing a bucket list item.