Moscow airport explosion
An explosion has ripped through Moscow's Domodedovo airport - the busiest in the Russian capital, reportedly killing more than 30 people. More than 100 more are thought to have been injured in the blast, which reports suggest may have been the work of a suicide bomber.
Live: Moscow airport explosion
An explosion has ripped through Moscow's Domodedovo airport - the busiest in the Russian capital, reportedly killing more than 30 people. More than 100 more are thought to have been injured in the blast, which reports suggest may have been the work of a suicide bomber.
LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times GMT)
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1715: First reaction from US government: President Barack Obama condemns "outrageous act of terrorism", according to the Associated Press.
1709: More detail on where the explosion happened, airport spokeswoman Yelena Galanova telling Interfax: "The explosion occurred in the international arrivals hall in a public area, to which people who are not passengers have free access."
1703: British businessman Ben tells the BBC: "I was in the queue at passport control when I heard a big explosion. I wasn't sure if it was external work, or an explosion inside the building. It shook the ceiling, there was dust coming down as smoke was coming from inside the baggage hall. The dust was everywhere - you would think it's time to clean your glasses even if you don't wear glasses."
Moscow blast: Eyewitness accounts
1655: Aviation expert Chris Yates backs the theory that suicide attacker was responsible for the attack, telling the BBC: "Quite an amount of shrapnel has been found in the arrivals hall - ball bearings and other things that could be packed into a suicide belt. We could be talking about a walk-in suicide attacker walking in and blowing themselves up at that critical moment."
1652: BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera says: Militant groups fighting in the Caucasus know how important the perception that the president and prime minister provide a secure society is. To undermine that is a key aspect of their aims.
1647: Maria Klimenko from Moscow e-mails: Everybody is in shock. It is now the end of the working day and people are afraid to go home. They are all afraid of the possibility of an explosion on the metro. Very nervous conditions. Mass media give very limited and isolated information. Have Your Say
1645: The explosion is believed to have happened in the baggage collection area, and aviation expert Philip Baum says such an incident was predictable, adding: "We spend so much time looking at passenger security checks before they get on board, that unfortunately some other areas are exposed."
1637: Both officials and analysts are saying the explosion is likely to have been a bomb attack. Paul Rogers from the UK's Bradford University tells Reuters: "As to the likely suspects, one would have to say Caucasus, mostly likely Chechen-connected."
1634: Airport spokeswoman says 35 people have now died as a result of the explosion.
1632: German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle sends his deepest sympathies to to the victims, adding: "I condemn this dreadful and bloody attack in the strongest possible terms. Nothing can justify this barbaric act."
1628: British traveller Mark Green arrived at the airport on a flight from London shortly before the incident and described hearing an "almighty explosion" as he left the arrivals area.
'There was an almighty explosion'
1627: Ria news agency reports security services were warned in advance about a possible terrorist act: "Personnel were searching for three suspects but they managed to get on to the territory of the airport unhindered, watch the explosion carried out by their accomplice and leave the airport."
1610: More detail coming through about the condition of survivors: Ria news agency reports 51 people hospitalised, of whom 35 are in a serious condition.
1607: The BBC's Yuri Maloveryan at Domodedovo says: Several dozen ambulances there, entrances to arrivals hall and hall at opposite end of airport closed, but entrances in the middle of the airport are open, all passengers being checked with metal detectors.
1602: Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen offers "solidarity" to Russia, reports AFP news agency.
1559: President Dmitry Medvedev delays his departure to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
1554:Kostik e-mails BBC Russian : I am not surprised it happens. Police are more concerned about attacking opposition demonstrations in Moscow than security of its people.
1552: President Dmitry Medvedev tells officials in a televised briefing: "From the preliminary information we have, it was a terror attack."
1535:Kirill from Moscow e-mails: I am deeply shocked by this incident. There were no such occurrences before. We had some in the underground, but explosions in the airports is something extraordinary. I fly out of Moscow several times a year, so do my relatives and friends. It is horrible to imagine that one of us could be there. And of course my thoughts now are with those who suffered these attacks. Have Your Say
1532: Vnukovo airport spokeswoman tells Interfax the airport is receiving flights diverted from Domodedovo.
1528:The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says: Russia's chief investigator has now classified the blast as a terrorist attack. Dozens of ambulances have been dispatched to the scene and following the blast, police have stepped up security across the Russian capital, particularly at other Moscow airports.
1522: BBC Russian is also reporting the day's dramatic events on a live text page in Russian.
1521: British Airways says in a statement: "We are aware of the incident at Moscow's Domodedovo airport and are speaking to our teams at the airport to establish further information."
1515: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says those responsible for the explosion will be tracked down and punished, according to comments reported by Reuters news agency.
1510: Russian news agency Interfax reports the explosion was caused by a bomb with 7kg of TNT. Police searching for three male suspects.
1508: Eyewitness Mark Green, who had just arrived in Moscow when the explosion happened, tells the BBC: "We were walking out through the exit of the arrivals hall towards the car, and there was this almighty explosion, a huge bang, we didn't know it was an explosion at the time, and my colleague and I looked at each other and said, Christ that sounds like a car bomb or something, because the noise was, literally, it shook you."
1503: Moscow police are on high alert and are looking for suspicious items on the transport system, 90 minutes after the airport explosion.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/9372022.stm
PS: Mobile phone footage (click on link)
