Terror attacks: explosions in the departure hall of Brussels Airport!

[Bralo20]

I knew the third IED was detonated inside the terminal. But I can't believe they did it on purpose... I guess something went wrong when examining it...

Now I know why that part of the airport was hit pretty bad as well... I always wondered if the blast alone could bring so much damage to that part which wasn't directly impacted with the first two explosions...

You are correct and that's what I said before The official version you've seen in the media is that this 3rd explosion was a controlled detonation done because the explosives were to unstable. Now some of that is true, the explosives were indeed extremely volatile but the detonation was not supposed to happen. It was like "oops, that didn't suppose to happen" They got lucky that nobody was injured when that happened. But you can rest asure that nobody will ever confirm this, I just heard it because I know quite a bunch of the first-responders who were on scene.

I'm actually kinda curious to see more pictures of the damage. You can call it disaster tourisme if you like but I was a voluntary fire photographer for several departments, (and sometimes also for police & justice department (and occasionally the press)) for over 14 years with hundreds of incidents on my record (and in my archives). So I rather call it professional curiosity On some days I kinda miss it, but in the end stopping it was the best thing I could do since most calls I got were the worst cases.

[Passenger]

Jet Airways' second ferry flight from BRU-AMS 9W1229 has just landed at Amsterdam.

Pity to see them leave BRU definitely under such circumstances

AMS Schiphol and Jet Airways have cancelled the function they had planned for the inauguration on Sunday.

[cathay belgium]

Hi,

Just want to mention that I went picking up my left luggage this evening.
Congratz to BRU.Airport.
Everything was very very well organised !
There was security, you had to let see your ID, then they took you to 'your flights' row of luggage.
You can point your luggage and tell whats in it, then an another person checked it if its true.
Then they take pictures of your ID and your luggage for just in case.
Very well organised and very professional ...
No need to be worried about your things! Well done !


CXB

[Desert Rat]

It's worthy to mention as well that in China, they have as well an Xray scanner on every belt of every check-in counter.
Alll european airport need to take the same way and upgrade their security system NOW!
The world will never be the same as we know it, it is time to take decision now before another blast happen again.
Facial reconnaissance camera need to be installed everywhere in the city.
China again every parking lot you go like carrefour supermarket or whatever have a camera systen that recognize you car registration plate...and never saw something like this in europe...why?
Bisounours time is over, we are at war!
And sadly the enemies are among us...

[Flanker2]

If they had left Assad, Khaddafi and Yanukovich to keep their rule, there wouldn't be so many dead, so much suffering. So if decisions that the political class took have led to the need of buying expensive facial recognition camera systems, the political class should pay for it, not the working class.
IMO we don't need facial recognition camera's, we need honest and clever politicians.

[jan_olieslagers]

a camera systen that recognize you car registration plate...and never saw something like this in europe

City of Mechelen has such a system operational. I'd be curious to learn what results it has offered.
For the rest I fully agree: we are at war, and the end of it is not in sight.

[Inquirer]

a few questions/remarks:
The front park is finally accessible again for people to pick up their car: good.
But why the bureaucratic procedure to pick it up? Is very strange to say the least.
I understand the access limitations and ID checks, but the limited 'opening times' mare not very flexible.
Same can be said about the way in which the airport reopening is being handled: no communication, no target, no nothing: it's like those having to give the final go ahead don't care if this situation of total closure last for weeks/months.
I don't know if they fully understand the economic impact on our countries economy, but the airport is not just another subway station. Its the main point of entry to our country, a crossroad of economic interests and trade and the place which makes it possible for tens of thousands of people to do their job (both at the airport itself, or thanks to the airport in all the businesses that rely on it or use it extensively).
Frustrations are rising at my company's HQ in Singapore with the as good as total inaccessibility of Belgium at the moment and the political/juridical hesitation to reopen the airport: I know the damage to check in is extensive, but its just part of the infrastructure: 95% is still fine, so what's holding them back to use temporary check in facilities somewhere? They are not really just planning to remain closed till they can 'renovate/rebuild' the terminal itself, can they? By then Singapore will have long have decided to close out BRU office if this lasts for more than another week or so, and move everything to Zürich, and I am sure we're not the only ones who can't sit and wait for much longer to restart normal work routine.
I personally think a quick reopening is vital for the image as well as the economy of our country.
Does anybody have more information already?

[rwandan-flyer]

It's worthy to mention as well that in China, they have as well an Xray scanner on every belt of every check-in counter.

Alll european airport need to take the same way and upgrade their security system NOW!
The world will never be the same as we know it, it is time to take decision now before another blast happen again.
.

I work as Airport Security agent at CDG, and it's no so easy to put such systems.

At Paris CDG, it will be hard to put this quickly. You have 9 terminals, in which terminals, you have at least between 15 and 20 gates to reach terminal.

You have between 6 and 7 roads access to reach Paris CDG, over 10 parkings, 2 Trains stations, 1 bus station.

There is not enough space to put Xray scanner everywhere, furthermore, a Xray Scanner costs about 200 000 USD, nearly same price for an EDS ( Explosives Detection Systems).

SNCF has just removed metal detectors at Paris Gare du Nord, several month the begining of the test.

But, be sure many human rights NGOs and political parties will probably prostest agaisnt some new measures.

2 Examples :

Currently UE has not a blacklist, like in USA or Israel. Many people in UE are agaisnt PNR

In France we have CNIL(National Commission on Informatics and Liberty), they are against the use of Body scan, in French airports and PNR

In Europe, we have not the same culture about security and the pirvate life data, that in USA or Israel.

[Bralo20]

The biggest problem they have at this moment is that the forenics team still isn't finished processing the crime scene. Until that's finished there's virtually nothing they can do or communicate. They can build temporary structures and afaik it's something they are doing but without access to their building they can't move equipment, they can't connect networks, electricity, etc... All they can do at this moment is working outside the perimeter of the crime scene.

And yes, it's very frustrating that they don't communicate but if they don't get information they can't communicate much or even make decent plans.

You may blame the forensic teams which are working around the clock to meticulously process the scene, it's not like any other crime scene ever happened in Belgium (so can you really blame them for the slow processing?). In the past, we didn't had 2 big (huge) crime scenes (metro & airport), we never had any IED's explode with schrapnel, we certainly didn't had any crime scenes with so many people injured or killed. It's not only evidence of the crime they need to collect, they also need to find every single piece of human remains and then again not at 1 scene but at 2 scenes. And even though you have 2 massive crime scenes, regular live continues so crimes do happen and other, regular, scenes need to be processed in the whole country. Add the additional search warrants they are excecuting at a rapid pace where also processing is necessary, etc... We all know Brussels Airport and the departure level, it's a big area. Now imagine that every square millimeter of that area needs to be processed while being careful enough to not cause more damage (which already happened this week when a wall collapsed during processing of the scene).

I know it's frustrating but give them a break. I'm pretty sure BAC will communicate when they have additional news.

[b720]

They can request help from other countries.. Am sure many will be ready to send forensic experts if our own are stretched. The airport can not remain shut! No excuse.. They might be in there for another month!

[Pocahontas]

It takes too long indeed. Not pointing fingers here.

[Inquirer]

I tend to agree with b720 and Pocahontas.
This needs to be investigated thoroughly, but one has the keep an eye on reality too here.
At one point you have to be able to clear the stage for normality to resume, it needs to stop somewhere.
Surely the aim can not be to just classify the whole terminal as 'exhibit number one' for the long run?
As I've tried to explain, BRU is THE centerpiece of our nation's international trade and its global market oriented economy as its basically the sole point of entry when coming from outside of Europe; at present, the incredibly slow way in which they are dealing with the clearing of the terminal and all that goes with it sure is a very good way at aggravating the impact these already bad attacks had on our economy: one could see in it yet another example of the notoriously bureaucratic and often out of tough mindset of our juridical system, deeply rooted in the 19th century.
Fingers crossed everything can be completed over the weekend at the very latest, or things may turn nasty thereafter: the economic activity is really suffering at present, surely one doesn't need to be an econometrist to understand that.

[Conti764]

They can request help from other countries.. Am sure many will be ready to send forensic experts if our own are stretched. The airport can not remain shut! No excuse.. They might be in there for another month!

Don't exagerate... I guess they'll be ready this weekend since Monday is the most often quoted day of resuming ops...

[Conti764]

I tend to agree with b720 and Pocahontas.
This needs to be investigated thoroughly, but one has the keep an eye on reality too here.
At one point you have to be able to clear the stage for normality to resume, it needs to stop somewhere.
Surely the aim can not be to just classify the whole terminal as 'exhibit number one' for the long run?
As I've tried to explain, BRU is THE centerpiece of our nation's international trade and its global market oriented economy as its basically the sole point of entry when coming from outside of Europe; at present, the incredibly slow way in which they are dealing with the clearing of the terminal and all that goes with it sure is a very good way at aggravating the impact these already bad attacks had on our economy: one could see in it yet another example of the notoriously bureaucratic and often out of tough mindset of our juridical system, deeply rooted in the 19th century.
Fingers crossed everything can be completed over the weekend at the very latest, or things may turn nasty thereafter: the economic activity is really suffering at present, surely one doesn't need to be an econometrist to understand that.

It actually has nothing to do with the slow juridical system, but with the size of the crime scene. Logic would let them sweep area after area and progressively clear finished area's but they can't do so since they can't risk having evidence compromised so they have to sweep the entire terminal at once..

[Inquirer]

Just to make one thing clear here, if I may: I am not criticizing those who do their jobs according to the textbook. I am commenting on the procedures laid down in those textbooks, as they seem to be painstakingly slow, outdated and lacking the bigger picture.
As some of you know, I am involved in Internal Quality Auditing and one of the things we look at during such an audit is whether a plant's procedures are regularly updated to include the use of the latest knowledge, methods and tools to allow a safe, cost-efficient and timely production relaunch within all legally required parameters. I wonder when the last time was the juridical services in our country went through a review of their internal procedures? I'm having some doubts on the recency of their procedures, to say it kindly still, if it takes 4 days to give a car park free.

[Bralo20]

Seems they finally got access:

Passenger flights at Brussels Airport will not resume before Tuesday 29 March
March 26, 2016

Brussels Airport is starting preparations to partially resume passenger flights and to implement the new security measures which the federal government imposes on Belgian airports. More than 4 days after the attacks at Brussels Airport, the inquiries of the judicial investigation in the terminal of Brussels Airport are completed. Friday afternoon, Brussels Airport Company received permission to inspect the building with a small group of engineers to assess the damage.

Brussels Airport Company is currently studying a temporary solution to partially resume passenger flights, taking into account the new security measures that apply at Belgian airports, decided by the federal government. Passenger flights are not expected to resume before Tuesday 29 March 2016.

A limited team of engineers and technicians of Brussels Airport Company will be given access to the terminal building which was the scene of two terrorist bomb attacks on Tuesday 22 March that unsettled the airport community and the whole country. The team will examine the stability of the building, check the functioning of the information technology systems, assess the material damage and determine the process to renovate the terminal.

The perimeter around the terminal is maintained. Except for authorised staff nobody will be admitted to the area where the explosions occurred. The federal police and the security agents continue to carry out stringent identity checks in the access area to the airport.

[Conti764]

I wonder what they have in mind... Build a (tent) structure somewhere not to far from the Connector or reopen parts of the terminal which are less hit by the explosives? That last option would surprise me but then again, you never know...

[jake99]

The white shelters between the connector and B2 will act as a check-in.
Access will be in front of B2.
B5 will act as baggage claim area and exit.Yesterday they where cleaning these building an added some structures inside.BAC did some cleaning on the parkinglot landside of this building 5
This should be ready on sunday.

[Passenger]

The white shelters between the connector and B2 will act as a check-in.
Access will be in front of B2.
B5 will act as baggage claim area and exit.Yesterday they where cleaning these building an added some structures inside.BAC did some cleaning on the parkinglot landside of this building 5. This should be ready on sunday.

Thanks jake, for this very valuable update.

[Inquirer]

Interesting for sure.
I have to admit that I have no idea what buildings you are talking about: could you please 'translate' in normal locations or somebody who can make a drawing ideally?
I suppose its not going to come at full capacity: which sirlines will be allowed in, who'll be kept away and for how long?
Thanks you.