‘It Feels Like a Dagger in the Heart:’ Brother and Sister Among Brussels Victims

At least three additional victims of the Brussels terrorist attacks have been identified, including two Dutch siblings who had been living in New York.

The family of Sascha and Alexander Pinczowski, who were brother and sister, confirmed in a statement that the two were killed in the attack at the Brussels airport. Belgian authorities have also confirmed the remains of the brother and sister were found, the Associated Press reports. The two were reportedly on their way back to the U.S.

Their family released the following statement: “We received confirmation this morning from Belgian Authorities and the Dutch Embassy of the positive identification of the remains of Alexander and Sascha. We are grateful to have closure on this tragic situation, and are thankful for the thoughts and prayers from all. The family is in the process of making arrangements.”

“We are trying our best to get through this,” Mark Lewis, a friend of the siblings, told People. “It feels like a dagger in the heart.”

British citizen David Dixon was also confirmed as having perished in the attacks. Dixon had reportedly narrowly escaped the attacks at the Brussels airport, only to be killed in a train station where another ISIS terrorist detonated a bomb.

“This morning we received the most terrible and devastating news about our beloved David,” the family said in a statement reported by the Independent. “At this most painful time our family would gratefully appreciate it if we could be left alone to grieve in private.” Dixon, a father and IT programmer, had been traveling for work.

As the search to identify victims continues, U.S. officials in Brussels said Friday they have knowledge of at least two American citizens who are among the victims. Those two Americans have not yet been identified. A family in the U.S. said Justin Shults and his wife Stephanie have been missing since the attacks, but it is not clear whether they are the two Americans whose death the U.S. officials are aware of.