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Three people, including a 13-year-old, were injured after a deliberate explosion at a residential building in Monaco on Monday night, authorities said.
The blast occurred at about 9:00 p.m. local time near the border with France, prompting an investigation into what officials described as an intentional attack.
Monaco’s Minister of State, Christophe Mirmand, initially referred to the incident as an attack before later describing it as a deliberate explosion.
French authorities said police were searching for the suspect, who fled the scene after allegedly leaving a bag or package in the building’s lobby.
An aide to France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police were working “to find the perpetrator, who has fled”.
According to Monaco’s public prosecutor, Stephane Thibault, investigators believe the suspect abandoned the package before leaving the area. Authorities said there was no immediate indication of why the building was targeted.
A man and woman, believed to be in their 50s or 60s, sustained life-threatening injuries, while a 13-year-old, believed to be related to the couple, suffered less serious injuries.
A source familiar with the investigation told AFP that one of those injured was Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev. Officials said the explosive device appeared to have been packed with bolts and buckshot.
Mirmand described the incident as unprecedented for the principality, saying authorities were unaware of any similar attack in Monaco’s history.
“The explosive device apparently contained bolts and buckshot, Mirmand said.”
“This is the first time in history, to my knowledge, that such an act has taken place in the principality,” he said
The public prosecutor is expected to provide further details during a news briefing on Tuesday.
