Hotel lobby bombed, missiles fired at plane
2002-11-28 10:12
Jerusalem - At least eight people were killed when a suicide car bomb explosion ripped through a hotel lobby near the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa on Thursday.
"At least one Israeli is dead and several others are injured," said Kaunya Oku, the district commissioner of Kilifi district.
The Israelis were checking in when a four-wheel drive tried to force its way into the Mombasa Paradise Hotel and exploded about 05:25.
At about the same time, two missiles were fired towards an Israeli aircraft that had just taken off from Mombasa airport, said Ron Prosor, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson. The aircraft was not hit and continued towards Israel.
The aircraft belonged to the Arkia charter company. A company official, Shlomo Hanael, said the company was still investigating whether missiles were fired towards the aircraft. He said the pilot saw a flash of light.
The hotel is Israeli-owned, Israeli TV reports said.
"I heard a loud explosion," an Israeli hotel guest, identified only as Rami, told Israel TV's Channel Two. Another guest, Osnat, said there were wounded, including a number of children. Some of the wounded were taken to a nearby small hospital. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA