The Slatest

U.S. Official: At Least Two Americans Among the Brussels Dead

Secretary of State John Kerry steps from his plane after landing at Brussels Airport on Friday after traveling from Moscow.

Andrew Harnik/AFP/Getty Images.

At least two Americans were among the 30-plus people who were killed during Tuesday’s twin terror attacks in Brussels, a U.S. official confirmed to the Associated Press and other news outlets on Friday. The confirmation came shortly after Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged publicly that an unspecified number of Americans were among the dead. “The United States is praying and grieving with you for the loved ones of those cruelly taken from us—including Americans—and for the many who were injured in these despicable attacks,” Kerry said after meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel in Brussels.

The U.S. official said that the families of the victims had been notified but did not provide their identities. Separately, the family of two Dutch citizens­—Sascha and Alexander Pinczowski—who had been living in New York told CBS News on Friday that they had been informed both were among those killed at the airport on their way home. “We received confirmation this morning from Belgian Authorities and the Dutch Embassy of the positive identification of the remains of Alexander and Sascha,” the family said in a statement. “We are grateful to have closure on this tragic situation, and are thankful for the thoughts and prayers from all. The family is in the process of making arrangements.”

It was unclear, though, whether those were the casualties the U.S. official and Kerry were referring to. An American couple living in Belgium—Justin and Stephanie Shults—have not been heard from since the attacks either, according to their family. “We are thankful for the outpouring of love and support we have received at this difficult time and ask for prayers for Justin and Stephanie,” the Shults family said in a statement released earlier this week.

The investigation into the attacks remains ongoing.

Read more of Slate’s coverage of the Brussels terror attacks.