(Newswire.net — March 22, 2016) — BRUSSELS – At least one has been killed and dozens wounded after two blasts rocked Brussels’ Zaventem airport Tuesday morning, Russia Today reported. Niels Caignau, flight watcher at Swissport, told Radio 1 that he heard an explosion at around 8:00 a.m. local time.
Approximately an hour later, the third explosion devastated Brussels metro station killing around 20 people, leaving chaos and despair.
European media reported that an evacuation is underway and all flights have been diverted to other airports.
The media reported that one explosion went off near the American Airlines United check-in desk. Antiterrorist forces found more explosive devices that did not go off in what appears to be a coordinated terrorist attack.
RTBF correspondent Laurent Henrard cited firefighters as saying “other explosive devices have been discovered at the airport.” Reuters reported that rail traffic to the airport has been suspended.
According to Anke Fransen, spokeswoman for Brussels Airport, there are many wounded, however only one person is confirmed killed at this time. “We can confirm that there have been two explosions in the departure hall. We called the emergency services on the ground – they [are] now provid[ing] first aid to the injured,” she told media.
“The windows outside the departure hall are completely shattered. Many people have run out with tears in [their] eyes. We were advised to stay indoors,” said Fransen.
Witness to the explosions, Sky News Middle East correspondent Alex Rossi, who was at the airport en route to Tel Aviv, has tweeted that he could “feel the buildings move,” illustrating the power of blasts.
Belgian authorities declared state of emergency in the whole country. Early footage from within the airport building shows that the roof of the building collapsed and there is huge material damage. The situation is chaotic and people are running away from the airport creating traffic jams in all directions from the airport.
Analysts say that it was too easy for terrorists to attack the airport as suitcases that may contain explosive device can be brought in the airport building without security checks until the departure check-in desk.
Though no organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, the media speculates that the attacks are a response to the recent capture of the ISIS terrorist responsible for the Paris attack. He was arrested in a Brussels residential quarter known for its high concentration of IS supporters.
“European authorities should ask themselves how is it possible to let a whole residential quarter in Brussels, the heart of the EU, to belong to IS supporters and IS fighters and not react,” journalist and expert on warfare Miroslav Lazanski told TVN1, the CNN affiliate from Belgrade, Serbia.
No planes are landing at Brussels Airport which is now in lockdown, they are being diverted to Antwerp, with some circling over the city of Liege.
Belgian media reported a new explosion in Brussels, at a metro station near the EU Parliament. Brussels authorities declared a stage 4, the highest emergency level which is declared only in war situations. The Belgian army has been deployed and people are in disbelief, panic and in chaos, the media reports.