A Maltese senior policy officer at the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU found herself in the metro tunnel “just a few metres away” from the second explosion in Brussels which took place last Tuesday.
Ann Marie Borg took to Facebook to share her ordeal, where she described that she was “luckily at the end of the metro wagon and was evacuated along with others via the train tracks.”
Last Tuesday morning, extremists bombed the international airport as well as the Maelbeek metro station. The vicious attack was claimed by ISIS, claiming the lives of 28 people and injuring over 100.
Ms Borg wrote how she never finished uploading her original Facebook status in response to the first explosion at the airport, because in that moment, while on the train on, a second explosion could be felt “just a few metres away.”
“It was unreal – indescribable,” she wrote.
This most recent attack on Brussels is seen by many as an attack on Western and European ideals, since the city has the highest number of European expats within the EU and also hosts a large number of EU institutions.
Another Maltese citizen was also a victim in the Brussels attack. Lorenzo Vella together with his wife was queuing to check in for their New York flight when the explosion took place. In comments to the media, they said that the explosion must have been “10 to 20” metres away from their position. Mr Vella suffered slight injuries to his back and was treated at a military hospital in Brussels.
Brussels has been in the spotlight after the terrorist attack in Paris on 13 November, since it was revealed that the ringleader behind the attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, and three of the other attackers grew up in Molenbeek, Brussels.
The Paris attack claimed the lives of 130 people and injured hundreds more. Brussels was placed on a security lockdown following the attack, as it was believed that one of the perpetrators was hiding in the city.
Apart from the Maltese citizens mentioned here, it is believed that no others were in such close proximity to the explosions. Both Labour and Nationalist MEPs expressed solidarity with all those impacted by the deplorable attack, calling for strength and unity while Europe mourns the most recent attack.
Dignitaries and officials from around the world expressed their sympathy and solidarity with Brussels, in particular President of the USA Barack Obama who warned against the stigmatisation of all Muslim people as a result of extremists.