Waiting on his flight back to the United States from visiting a hospital in the Congo, Dikembe Mutombo was at the Zaventem International Airport in Brussels when he suddenly noticed people running and screaming. The NBA Hall of Fame center confirmed he was safe through his Facebook page.
Mutombo, 49, was coming home from the Congo, where he visited a hospital his foundation established there. He said he had fallen asleep in a lounge when he was woken up by the chaos around him.
Thank you everyone. I am safe here. God is good.
Posted by Dikembe Mutombo on Tuesday, March 22, 2016
"I just feel bad for the family of the loved ones that lost their lives," Mutombo said. "Feel bad for all the mom and all the citizen that was there that couldn't run and that couldn't move. It was very crazy; I feel very bad. So many mom were trying to push their two kids and three kids. You have one thousand people and everyone running. It was very, very sad."
On a website with known affiliations to the Islamic State, the terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack, which left at least 31 people dead and 250 or more injured. The website post contained widely reported facts about the attack and it is unclear if ISIS' claim has been verified.
Law enforcement is still searching the Belgian capital's airport and the surrounding area. Authorities are still putting details together, though the attack started around 8 a.m. local time (3 a.m. Eastern in the United States). Authorities have also not confirmed how many suspects have been apprehended or how many were identified.
The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation posted a statement to its Facebook page confirming he was "unharmed" and offering its thoughts and prayers the victims and their families.
"Today we bow our heads in remembrance for those who lost their lives in Brussels," read the statement. "And we give thanks for all of the first responders offering support, strength, and solidarity to everyone impacted by these horrible tragedies. To those who are asking for an update - Dikembe was at the Brussels airport when the bombing happened this morning, and was thankfully unharmed. Local authorities are working to move everyone to safe locations while the City navigates through this act of terror. Please join us in keeping Brussels in your thoughts and prayers."
