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Brussels Zaventem airport blasts cause casualties | Brussels Zaventem airport blasts cause casualties |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two blasts have struck the departures area of Zaventem airport in Brussels. | |
The Belgian government has confirmed casualties but has given no numbers. The cause of the explosions is unknown. | |
Another explosion has now been reported at the Maelbeek metro station close to the EU institutions. The whole metro system has been closed. | |
The blasts come four days after the capture in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the jihadist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015. | The blasts come four days after the capture in Brussels of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the jihadist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015. |
Belgium has now raised its terror threat to its highest level. | |
Brussels airport blasts - latest updates | Brussels airport blasts - latest updates |
Emergency services are clearing the airport completely. Belgium's Het Laatste Nieuws reports that more bombs have been found. | Emergency services are clearing the airport completely. Belgium's Het Laatste Nieuws reports that more bombs have been found. |
The airport is being evacuated and has been closed to flights. | |
The Belga news agency reports that shots were fired and shouts in Arabic were heard before the two explosions. | The Belga news agency reports that shots were fired and shouts in Arabic were heard before the two explosions. |
Images on social media showed smoke rising from one of the buildings, amid reports of panic as people fled the airport. | Images on social media showed smoke rising from one of the buildings, amid reports of panic as people fled the airport. |
Rail transport to the facility has been halted and people have been told not to come to the airport. | Rail transport to the facility has been halted and people have been told not to come to the airport. |
All flights have been diverted. | |
Other reports say at least one of the explosions was close to the American Airlines check-in area but this has not been confirmed. | Other reports say at least one of the explosions was close to the American Airlines check-in area but this has not been confirmed. |
The Belgian broadcaster RTBF quoted a witness as saying there were people injured or unconscious in the departure area, opposite the Sheraton hotel. | The Belgian broadcaster RTBF quoted a witness as saying there were people injured or unconscious in the departure area, opposite the Sheraton hotel. |
Niels Caignau, a Swissport employee, told Flemish broadcaster VRT: "I was on a break and heard and felt a big explosion - we have from here a view over the departure hall and saw a plume of smoke come out. | Niels Caignau, a Swissport employee, told Flemish broadcaster VRT: "I was on a break and heard and felt a big explosion - we have from here a view over the departure hall and saw a plume of smoke come out. |
"The windows are completely shattered. People went outside in shock. It doesn't look good." | "The windows are completely shattered. People went outside in shock. It doesn't look good." |
There are few reports yet about the metro blast. | |
Belgium's Interior Minister Jan Jambon had said on Monday that the country was on the highest level of alert for possible revenge attacks after the capture of Salah Abdeslam. | |
He told Belgian radio: "We know that stopping one cell can... push others into action. We are aware of it in this case." | |
Zaventem airport is 11km (7 miles) north-east of Brussels and dealt with more than 23 million passengers last year. | |
Are you at Zaventem airport in Brussels? If it is safe for you to do so please share your eyewitness accounts to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you at Zaventem airport in Brussels? If it is safe for you to do so please share your eyewitness accounts to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
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