239 wounded,International passengers confirmed among dead in Instabul's Ataturk airport attack as death toll rise to 41

 

• Three suicide bombers strike Istanbul Ataturk airport Around 41 people killed and 239 wounded  Turkey PM says Islamic State most likely suspects Third busiest airport in Europe, high security location Iranian and a Ukrainian confirmed as first foreign victims 

police at the scene

A triple suicide bombing at Istanbul's main international airport on Tuesday night has left 41 dead and as many as 150 injured in a suspected Isil attack.
The bombers detonated explosive vests in the arrivals hall of Ataturk airport, which is the third busiest in Europe.

They had been trying to pass through X-ray machines when they were stopped by Turkish security officials. When they began shooting with AK-47 rifles, the officers returned fire.
A police officer tried to wrestle one of the gunmen to the ground before he blew himself up in a bombing coordinated with two other suspects.

Mr Yildirim said the attackers had come to the airport by taxi and that preliminary findings pointed to Isil responsibility.



Isil had called for attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, and have focused attention on Turkey, which is currently bidding to join the European Union.
As many as 2.5 million Britons travel to Turkey each year, although the number of tourists is thought to have declined in recent months following a spate of Isil attacks in the country.
Footage from the airport showed terrified children and parents crouched among debris on the floor as screams were heard in the background.

a weapon seen on the floor after suicide bombers opened attack

Gunfire was also reported by witnesses coming from the airport’s car park.
Turkey has suffered a spate of bombings this year, including two suicide attacks in tourist areas of Istanbul blamed on Isil, and two car bombings in the capital, Ankara, which were claimed by a Kurdish militant group.