'Total mess and disorganization': Armenian witnessed Istanbul explosions
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, Associate Professor and Chair of History and Theory of Religion at Yerevan State Universuty was on a plane landing in Istanbul, when two explosions ripped through the Ataturk International airport.
Hovhannes wrote on Facebook that he had missed the flight from Athens to Yerevan two days ago and had to leave for Istanbul. The plane was landing the airport when the deadly blasts occurred.
Following the explosion, the passengers of the landed plane were kept on board for three hours.
“The airport was not ready for such tragedy and all workers escaped and nobody could take care about thousands of kids, pregnant women.... yelling, crying... and the staff gave us our luggage under the board, many people could not carry it as it was heavy for them and they were with kids... today when I wanted to go to gate with luggage the security wanted to confiscate the alcohol I bought, I resisted asked for supervisor and they told me if I want to keep them I should go out, give the luggage and come again. I had to pay 20 euro for visa just to get out not because of my fault. Totall mess and disorganization.This airport is not the best as they claim for sure...’” reads the message posted on Facebook.
According to updated data, at least 41 people were killed and 239 others were injured when suspected Islamic State militants attacked Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport late on June 28.