50 People Died, Dozens Injured As Two Explosions Hit Istanbul Airport

At least 50 people died and dozens were injured in a gun and bomb attack on Turkey’s busiest airport.

Witnesses reported hearing two explosions – followed by gunfire – at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul.
Video showed terrified passengers being ordered to sit down in one of the arrival halls.

Turkish officials said that two men had carried out a suicide bombing, and police had shot at the attackers.

A senior Turkish official said they suspect ISIS were behind the atrocity.

Two suicide bombers opened fire before blowing themselves up at the main entrance to the building, officials said.

Police shot at them to try and stop them before they reached a security checkpoint at the arrivals hall.

The state-run TRT television said an explosion hit a control point at the international arrival terminal of the airport.

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Ambulances arrive at Istanbul Ataturk (Picture: Reuters)

A witness told broadcaster CNN Turk that gunfire was heard from the car park at the airport, Turkey’s largest.

Taxis were ferrying wounded people from the airport, the witness told CNN Turk.

Security blocked the road towards the airport (Picture: Reuters)

Turkey has suffered several bombings in recent months linked to Kurdish or Islamic State group militants.

Flights were grounded and passengers transferred to hotels, a Turkish Airlines official said. Earlier an airport official said some flights to the airport had been diverted.

Foreign Office officials said they are ‘urgently seeking further information’ following the explosion. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he was ‘shocked by the attack in Istanbul’ adding: ‘Thoughts are with those affected. We stand ready to help.’