What to Know
- At least three explosions rocked an airport in Turkey Tuesday, killing dozens and wound more than 100 people.
- There is no specific threat to NYC, but police are on alert. A Turkish community in Queens was reeling as news of the attacks came in.
- Turkey has suffered several bombings in recent months linked to Kurdish or Islamic State group militants
New York City police say they're monitoring developments in Istanbul after a Turkish TV station reported the Istanbul governor said at least three explosions rocked the city's Ataturk hub, killing 36 people and wounding at least 140 others.
An NYPD spokesman said there is no specific threat to the city, and the department has already been on high alert, with security tight across New York. Extra police were seen at the Turkish consulate on the East Side Tuesday night.
Port Authority, which oversees the city's three major airports, say they've added high-visibility patrol officers equipped with tactical weapons at Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark airports. The agency had already added counterterrorism patrols at facilities following the Orlando nightclub massacre.
The Federal Aviation Administration instituted a ground stop for all U.S. register aircraft with flights into Turkey as a precaution.
Passengers landing in New York City on one of the last flights out of Istanbul reflected on leaving just hours before the deadly attack.
"I'm glad I'm here. We are safe, you know," said Wagid Iqbao.
"We didn't hear anything till we landed in the U.S.," said Phillip Ozturk of Istanbul. "It's so bad."
In Sunnyside, Queens, a neighborhood with a large Turkish community, Turks were reeling.
"I called some friends, and they just canceled their traveling there. The feel is not good. Hard to answer, hard to say anything right now," said Hakan Durantas.
"It's been happening all over, like on the other sides by the eastern area near the Iraq-Syria border," said Sezii Cetin, a former high school teacher.
Istanbul Gov. Vasip Sahin told Turkey's NTV television three suicide bombers carried out the attack.
Another official said the attackers blew themselves up before entering the x-ray security check at the airport entrance.
Turkish airports have security checks at both at the entrance of terminal buildings and then later before entry to departure gates.
Roads around the airport were sealed off for regular traffic after the attack and several ambulances could be seen driving back and forth.
Local
The private DHA news agency said the wounded, among them police officers, were being transferred to Bakirkoy State Hospital.
Turkey has suffered several bombings in recent months linked to Kurdish or Islamic State group militants.
The bombings included two in Istanbul targeting tourists — which the authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group.
The attacks have increased in scale and frequency, scaring off tourists and hurting the economy, which relies heavily on tourism revenues.
Istanbul's Ataturk Airport was the 11th busiest airport in the world last year, with 61.8 million passengers, according to Airports Council International. It is also one of the fastest-growing airports in the world, seeing 9.2 percent more passengers last year than in 2014.
The largest carrier at the airport is Turkish Airlines, which operates a major hub there. Low-cost Turkish carrier Onur Air is the second-largest airline there.
