Terror Attack At Bulgarian Airport Kills At Least Seven Israeli Tourists
Wednesday, 18 July 2012 11:56
At least seven Israeli tourists are dead after a bomb detonated on a bus carrying 44 people at an airport terminal in Bulgaria, Marcus Dysch of the Jewish Chronical reports.
At least 18 people are being treated at the hospital.
Burgus Mayor Dimitar Nikolov says explosives were placed in the trunk of the bus, according to Haaretz.
Both the Israeli and Bulgarian Interior Ministries said the explosion was a terrorist attack.
From the Telegraph:
"Shoshi", an eyewitness, told Voice of Israel Radio: "We put the bags in the trunk, and after a few minutes, the bus exploded in flames. Then we returned to the terminal, and now we are trying to determine who is missing and who is dead. People who survived the explosion escaped from the window, and could not step over the bodies. The bus was shattered on both sides.”
The explosion is thought to have occurred at around 6 p.m. local time, about an hour after a flight arrived from Tel Aviv.
RT @cerenomri: Two flights brought Israeli terror victims to Burgas (1) Charter flight arr at 4:50pm (2) Bulgaria Air. Well-planned attack.
— Marcus Dysch (@MarcusDysch) July 18, 2012
The airport has been closed and all flights from Israel to Bulgaria have been suspended.
Israel previously warned Bulgaria of the threat posed by Hezbollah around the second largest resort on the country's Black Sea coast after a suspicious package was found on a bus that was to carry Israeli tourists from Turkey to Bulgaria in January.
Bulgaria's EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva said she was "shocked and saddened by the news about the explosion," according to Dysch.
Reports are now conflicting over whether it was a suicide bombing in #Burgas. Israeli Foreign Ministry says not, others say female bomber.
— Marcus Dysch (@MarcusDysch) July 18, 2012
More to come as the story develops...
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