Editor's note: Updated 12:15 p.m. ET, June29, 2016

(Bloomberg) -- Two explosions rocked Istanbul’s AtaturkAirport late Tuesday, killing at least 41 people in an attack thata Turkish official blamed on three suicide bombers.

Police fired at the suspects at the international terminal’sentry in an attempt to neutralize them, the official said, speakingon condition of anonymity.

Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told lawmakers in parliament thatone attacker had sprayed gunfire from a Kalashnikov rifle at people around him beforeblowing himself up. He said further details are still emerging.

“First I heard the gunfire, then the explosions. Two of them,”said Koray Arslan, who was at the nearby domestic terminal nearby.They were very powerful. I could feel the tremors under myfeet.”

Airport closed to incoming flights

Turkish media said about 60 people were injured. The airport wasclosed to incoming flights after the explosions, while some planeshave been diverted to other destinations, according to the stateairport authority.

Islamic State is likely responsible for the killings, PrimeMinister Binali Yildirim said in televised remarks after lateTuesday’s attacks. Once an affiliate of al-Qaeda, Islamic Statecarried out beheadings and crucifixions as it took parts of Syriaand northern Iraq. While losing ground in recent months, it isstriking abroad more frequently and claimed responsibility forsimilar airport attacks in Brussels in March.

The country has been hit by spillover from the civil war inneighboring Syria, where Islamic State controls territory along theTurkish border. The army is also fighting an escalating war withseparatist Kurdish rebels.

Violence scaring off tourists

The spread of violence in Turkey is scaring off tourists. Lastmonth saw the biggest slump in visitor numbers on record.

The Istanbul airport attack is “yet another reminder, as if anywas needed, that Turkey faces the perfect storm of terroristthreats,” Anthony Skinner, a director with U.K.-based forecasting company Verisk Maplecroft, saidby e-mail.

The lira trimmed gains after the reports of the explosions. Itwas trading at 2.9038 per dollar at 11:22 p.m. in Istanbul.

Vulnerability of airport lobbies

The attack is also the latest to target airports and the aviationindustry in the Middle East and Europe, coming three months aftersuicide bombers struck Brussels airport. It serves as reminder ofthe vulnerability of airport lobbies and other public places wherelarge numbers of people congregate, said Hans Weber, an aviation consultant in San Diego.

“The probability of copycat attacks goes way up high after oneof those attacks,” said Weber, who advised the U.S. federalgovernment on airport security issues following the Sept. 11attacks. “From a terrorist perspective, Brussels was a success. Youcan see how they would be motivated to copy that.”

Last year, a Russian passenger jet was brought down over the Sinai Peninsulaafter taking off from the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.Islamic State’s affiliate in Egypt claimed responsibility for theincident.

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