British travellers to Bulgaria have been left stranded after a deadly terrorist attack on a coach carrying Israeli tourists at Burgas airport (pictured).
Flights have been redirected to Varna airport and delays to services are “highly likely”, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office warned.
The British Consul has been deployed to Burgas on the Black Sea today (Thursday) to assist Britons affected by the closure of the airport.
“The British Embassy’s Consular Teams have assisted a number of British nationals known to be stranded after the closure of Burgas airport following the explosion,” the FCO said.
The Consul identified four hotels with availability for people caught up in the aftermath of the bombing. Travellers were urged to contact their tour operators.
The attack, which killed seven Israelis and left 30 others injured, prompted widespread condemnation.
The blast damaged several other buses in the car park outside the airport at Burgas, where they were waiting to ferry tourists to resorts along the Black Sea coast.
The coach was targeted after picking up tourists from a charter flight from Tel Aviv. Foreign secretary William Hague said after the incident yesterday afternoon:
“I condemn today’s terrorist attack on a bus carrying Israeli tourists at Bourgas airport in Bulgaria. The full tragedy of the attacks is not yet clear, but I would like to express my condolences to the friends and family of those injured and killed.”
US President Barack Obama described the bombing as a “barbaric terrorist attack” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later accused Iran of being responsible.