Friday, March 25, 2016

At Least 12 Americans Injured in Brussels Attacks, But No Deaths Reported

The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday that officials are aware of approximately 12 Americans injured in Tuesday's terror attacks in Brussels


Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said that the department is not aware of any U.S. citizen deaths in the attacks that claimed the lives of 34 and injured nearly 200 people. 

"We must emphasize that a number of U.S. citizens remain unaccounted for, and the Kingdom of Belgium has not yet released nationality information or reported fatalities," Toner said. 

Two explosions went off in Brussels Zaventem Airport's Departures Hall during the morning rush-hour, killing 14 and injuring nearly 100 people. About one hour later, a bomb went off at the Maalbeek Metro Station near the European Union Headquarters, 


Officials said then that 20 were killed and at least 106 people were injured at the metro station. 

Among the Americans injured in the ISIS-claimed attacks are three Mormon missionaries from Utah who were in the airport at the time of the blasts. 

Family and friends of a New York brother and sister have been enlisting the help of social media users to find Alexander and Sascha Pinczowski. 

The two were last heard from the morning of the attacks. They had been getting ready to board a plane, and were on the phone with family when the explosions went off, disconnecting the call. 

Additionally, American couple Stephanie and Justin Shults have not been heard from since the deadly blasts. 

Family members said the couple was dropping off Stephanie's mother at the airport when the bombs went off. Stephanie's mother saw the couple just minutes before the blast. 

American aid workers caught in the airport bombings, Andrew and Denise Brandt, told PEOPLE that they felt a shock and knew it was an explosion. 

"We knew it was an explosion but we didn't know if there was just one explosion or if there was an active shooter situation going on," Denise said. "We just knew that something bad had happened and we had to get somewhere safe."

Source: People 

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