Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani says he is lucky to be alive

Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani says it is 'a miracle' he escaped unharmed from the terror attack that rocked Brussels' Zaventem Airport on Tuesday morning.

The Congo international, who is on-loan at Carrow Road from Dinamo Kiev, was at the airport where he was due to board a flight with his wife and her nephew Nathan Kabasele, who plays for Dutch Eredivisie side De Graafschap.

"At the moment of the explosion, I was on the pavement outside the building," Mbokani told Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure.

"If we had been a minute earlier, we would have been dead.

"It is my wife who saved our lives. I wanted to get there earlier but she said: 'Let's wait for Nathan Kabasele who is taking the same flight. She told me he would arrive in a minute or two'. It is a miracle.

"At the instant of the attack, I was sitting down, then I ran to my wife and we fled towards the Sheraton [hotel] and then to the parking lot behind. I left my seven suitcases where they were. A taxi driver followed me with three suitcases and I got the other four back on Wednesday.

The former Anderlecht and Standard Liege striker described the scenes of panic when people heard the explosions that ripped through the airport terminal.

"They came out to the car parks. There was even an Anderlecht supporter who, despite a serious knee injury, came up to me to tell me how much he was a fan of mine. That really touched me," he said.

"We were very close to the dead. I stayed calm at the time to assure my wife who was really hysterical. On getting back home, I went to get my boy from school and hugged him. We didn't say anything. He would be traumatised."

Democratic Republic of Congo play two Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches over the next seven days and Mbokani revealed he is prepared to play in both fixtures if called upon.

"If the coach and the country needs me, I will go," he said.

"DR Congo was very worried. Everyone called me but I was too shocked to respond. I cannot believe that I have witnessed scenes that you only see in the movies."