31 killed in suicide attack at Moscow airport

Vinay Shukla

Moscow, Jan 24 (PTI) At least 31 people were killedand 130 injured today in a suspected suicide bomb attack atMoscow''s busy Domodedovo international airport.

The bomb went off at 1902 IST in the baggage claimarea of the international arrival sector, Itar-Tass quotedTatyana Morozova of the Russian investigation committee assaying.

Russian news agency Ria Novosti said at least 31people were killed in the explosion that rocked the airport.

Airport employees broke down the wall between the mainairport and the arrival zone to allow passengers to escapefrom the scene of the destruction, it said.

According to Business FM radio it was a suicide attackand Prime Minister Vladmir Putin has been informed of theincident. Teams have been rushed to the airport.

"According to preliminary information, the explosivedevice was set off by a suicide bomber in the internationaldepartures hall," the Interfax news agency quoted an unnamedsecurity source as saying.

Witnesses said, the airport building was engulfed insmoke following the explosion.

Passengers from about 2 dozen international flightincluding from New York, Dubai, Asghabat, Cairo, London,Vienna, Munich, Hamburg, Tokyo and Istanbul were around thearea of the explosion that was not far from one of therestaurants. .