Baltimore-Area Students Who Study Near Belgium Are Safe

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The death and devastation in Brussels came a little too close for comfort for students from Loyola University and Goucher College who were studying abroad in Belgium.

George Solis explains just how close these students were to the deadly attacks.

Both schools tell WJZ their students and faculty are safe after dozens were killed in the deadly terror attacks.

For more on the attacks today, click here.

For now, the students abroad are being asked to cancel all trips to and through the Belgian capital indefinitely.

Terror erupted Tuesday at the Belgian capital. More than three dozen people are dead and hundreds more were injured. ISIS is claiming responsibility for the deadly attacks at the airport and subway in central Brussels in what appears to be coordinated suicide attacks.

President Barack Obama addressed the tragedy from Cuba.

"The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the people of Belgium," he said.

WJZ has learned among that group were several college students from Maryland studying abroad in Belgium, roughly 17 miles from where the attacks occurred.

"Our number one priority was finding all these students and making sure they were okay and getting that information to thee rest of our community, and of course their parents, as well," said Loyola University Spokesman Nick Alexopulos.

Students and one faculty member are safe and accounted for from Loyola University. Neighboring Goucher College said all three of their students are also safe.

"We're all thinking about you guys. We're all family at Loyola," said one student.

"We want to send our love and prayers over to them," said another.

Sadly, university officials say they've been in this position before following the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris.

"We have multiple arms of the university that coalesce and work on communication, identification," said Alexopulos.

In those attacks, all students were also safe and accounted for. The focus now is prayers for those in Brussels who were less fortunate.

All other area colleges say they had no students studying in Belgium this semester.