Maltese Brussels attacks casualty Lorenzo Vella said this morning that he was feeling better after a difficult night when his experiences kept flashing before him.

Mr Vella suffered back injuries at Brussels airport and is being held  in a military hospital for treatment and observation.

He told TVM that he was hit by a metal object in his back and suffered 'fractures in the spinal chord'. He fell and told his wife to duck, fearing somebody would open fire.

After the second explosion his wife helped him up and got him out of the building. They tried to run as best they could away from the terminal building.

The first sensation, he said, was one of high temperature and his field of vision suffered. Then he started feeling pain.

As he got up he saw people on the ground, a lot of blood and broken glass and a severely wounded person just behind him.

He said they were about 10 metres away from the blast having been waiting at a check-in desk before a flight to the US.

He was given medical attention just outside the terminal. There was another moment of panic when some people thought somebody had opened fire at the wounded. They hid behind the cars.

It was clear immediately that this was a terrorist attack. residents of Brussels had long asked themselves when it would happen, rather than if, although he never imagined he would be so involved, Mr Vella said.

He said his pregnant wife is being held for observation in a maternity ward.

Mr Vella is a technical officer at Dar Malta.