2016 Brussels bombings

== Attacks ==
{{Quote box
| title = Timeline of attacks
| align = right
| width = 25%
| quote = 
{{bulleted list |'''7:33'''&nbsp;– The three attackers arrive at [[Brussels Airport]] in a taxi.<ref>{{cite news|title=Procès des attentats de Bruxelles : taxi, fausses pistes, perquisitions… le récit de l'enquête se poursuit|url=https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-le-chauffeur-de-taxi-decrit-son-trajet-vers-brussels-airport-avec-les-terroristes/|work=BX1|date=11 January 2023|access-date=9 March 2023|archive-date=9 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309133842/https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-le-chauffeur-de-taxi-decrit-son-trajet-vers-brussels-airport-avec-les-terroristes/|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
* '''7:58'''&nbsp;– Two explosions occur in the airport's check-in area, 9 seconds apart.<ref name="GuardianTimeline">{{cite news|title=Timeline of the Brussels attacks|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2016/mar/22/where-the-brussels-attackers-struck|website=The Guardian|date=22 March 2016|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-date=15 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215123630/https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2016/mar/22/where-the-brussels-attackers-struck|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''9:04'''&nbsp;– Belgium raises the terror threat level to its highest level.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beslissing om metro te sluiten viel 21 minuten voor explosie in station Maalbeek|url=http://www.demorgen.be/binnenland/beslissing-om-metro-te-sluiten-viel-21-minuten-voor-explosie-in-station-maalbeek-b05172d3/|website=De Morgen|date=25 March 2016|access-date=26 March 2016|archive-date=28 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328015726/http://www.demorgen.be/binnenland/beslissing-om-metro-te-sluiten-viel-21-minuten-voor-explosie-in-station-maalbeek-b05172d3|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''9:11'''&nbsp;– An explosion occurs in Brussels [[Maelbeek metro station|Maelbeek/Maalbeek metro station]].<ref name="GuardianTimeline"/>
* '''9:27'''&nbsp;– All public transport is suspended in the city.<ref name="independent">{{cite news|last1=Dearden|first1=Lizzie|title=Brussels attacks timeline: How bombings unfolded at airport and Metro station|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-attacks-timeline-how-bombings-unfolded-at-airport-and-metro-station-a6945781.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brussels-attacks-timeline-how-bombings-unfolded-at-airport-and-metro-station-a6945781.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=22 March 2016|newspaper=The Independent|date=22 March 2016}}</ref>
* '''11:15'''&nbsp;– [[Eurostar]] rail journeys between London and Brussels are cancelled until further notice.<ref name="rte">{{cite journal|title=Timeline: Brussels attacks|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0322/776700-timeline-brussels-attacks/|journal=RTÉ News|access-date=22 March 2016|date=22 March 2016|archive-date=24 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324093459/http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/0322/776700-timeline-brussels-attacks/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''13:57'''&nbsp;– [[Bomb disposal]] officers detonate a third bomb at Brussels Airport.<ref>{{cite news|title=Le "chaos total" à l'aéroport de Zaventem|work=La Libre|date=21 December 2022|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/judiciaire/2022/12/21/le-chaos-total-a-laeroport-de-zaventem-FKZSRZXBC5HXFP6AWOBAM5DBKI/|access-date=9 March 2023|archive-date=9 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309215644/https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/judiciaire/2022/12/21/le-chaos-total-a-laeroport-de-zaventem-FKZSRZXBC5HXFP6AWOBAM5DBKI/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{align|right|{{small|All times are [[Central European Time|CET]] (UTC+1).}}}}
}}

There were two coordinated attacks: two attackers exploded [[nail bomb]]s at Brussels Airport, and one attacker exploded a bomb at Maelbeek metro station.<ref name="independent" />

=== Brussels Airport ===
Two suicide bombers, carrying explosives in large suitcases, attacked the departure hall at Brussels Airport in [[Zaventem]]. The first explosion occurred at 07:58 in check-in row 11; the second explosion occurred about nine seconds later in check-in row 2. The suicide bombers were visible in [[CCTV]] footage.<ref name="BBC35869985"/> Some witnesses said that before the first explosion occurred, there were shouts in [[Arabic language|Arabic]].<ref name="BBC35869985"/> Some also reported hearing gunfire but investigators established that no shots were fired, although both suicide bombers were carrying handguns which had detonated due to the explosions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-le-chauffeur-de-taxi-decrit-son-trajet-vers-brussels-airport-avec-les-terroristes/|title=Procès des attentats de Bruxelles : taxi, fausses pistes, perquisitions… le récit de l'enquête se poursuit|date=11 January 2023|website=BX!|access-date=9 March 2023|archive-date=9 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309133842/https://bx1.be/dossiers/attentats-de-bruxelles/proces-des-attentats-le-chauffeur-de-taxi-decrit-son-trajet-vers-brussels-airport-avec-les-terroristes/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A third suicide bomber left the airport without detonating his bomb, which was later found in a search of the airport and destroyed by a controlled explosion.<ref name="GuardianTimeline"/>

=== Maelbeek metro station ===
Just over an hour later, at 9:11, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a rucksack in the middle carriage of a three-carriage train at Maelbeek metro station, located near the [[European Commission]] headquarters in the [[Brussels and the European Union#European Quarter|European Quarter]] of Brussels, {{convert|10|km|0}} from Brussels Airport.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/brussels-airport-explosions-heard|title=Islamic State claims attacks at Brussels airport and metro station|date=22 March 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 March 2023|archive-date=7 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407163721/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/22/brussels-airport-explosions-heard|url-status=live}}</ref> The train was travelling on [[Brussels Metro line 5|line 5]] towards the city centre, and was pulling out of Maelbeek metro station when the bomb exploded.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lesoir.be/489570/article/2023-01-18/proces-des-attentats-de-bruxelles-kalhid-el-bakraoui-pris-le-metro-dans-le-sens|title=Procès des attentats de Bruxelles: Kalhid El Bakraoui a pris le métro dans le sens opposé à Maelbeek avant de se faire exploser|date=18 January 2023|work=Le Soir|access-date=11 March 2023|archive-date=11 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311130207/https://www.lesoir.be/489570/article/2023-01-18/proces-des-attentats-de-bruxelles-kalhid-el-bakraoui-pris-le-metro-dans-le-sens|url-status=live}}</ref> The driver immediately stopped the train and helped to evacuate the passengers.<ref name="RTBF">{{cite news|title=Le conducteur du métro attaqué à Maelbeek: "J'ai fait ce que j'avais à faire"|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/societe/detail_christian-delhasse-le-conducteur-du-metro-attaque-a-maelbeek-j-ai-fait-ce-que-j-avais-a-faire?id=9248958|website=[[RTBF]]|date=22 March 2016|access-date=31 March 2016|archive-date=4 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404013604/http://www.rtbf.be/info/societe/detail_christian-delhasse-le-conducteur-du-metro-attaque-a-maelbeek-j-ai-fait-ce-que-j-avais-a-faire?id=9248958|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Brussels Metro]] was subsequently shut down at 09:27.<ref name="independent" />

A second suicide bomber carrying a bomb in a rucksack left the metro without detonating his bomb, instead taking it back to a hideout in [[Etterbeek]], an eastern municipality of Brussels, where he dismantled it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2016/04/29/second_maalbeek_bombflusheddownthetoilet-1-2642486/|title=Second Maalbeek bomb flushed down the toilet?|date=29 April 2016|work=VRT|access-date=11 March 2023|archive-date=11 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311130213/https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2016/04/29/second_maalbeek_bombflusheddownthetoilet-1-2642486/|url-status=live}}</ref>