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Russian Dancers Stranded In Istanbul By Bombings Return Home


Fifteen Russian girls performing with the Biserinki dance group got stranded for a day in Istanbul by the airport suicide bombings, but flew back to Tatarstan's capital of Kazan on June 30.

The amateur dancers, aged 11 and 12, and their instructor were stranded when the Ataturk airport authorities halted all flights after the bombings on June 28.

The children were in a safe zone of the airport at the time, and none was hurt in the attacks that killed at least 41 people and wounded hundreds of others, Russian officials said.

The children were on their way back home from Bulgaria, where they took part in the Peace, Arts, And Sea competition.

They were cleared to fly to Kazan on June 29 and after arriving early on June 30 were spending the night in a hotel there, Tatar officials said.

They planned to leave for their home city of Naberezhniye Chelny by bus later in the day. Their parents are to meet them at school, the officials said.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax

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