near the historic Gateway of India
Indian troops have stormed Mumbai's luxury Oberoi and Taj Mahal Palace hotels amid reports that terrorist attackers have taken up to 100 tourists hostage.
At least 78 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across India's financial capital this morning.
Targets included the Oberoi and Taj hotels, the city's main railway station, the Cama hospital, and the Cafe Leopold, near the Taj Hotel and perhaps the most famous restaurant and hang-out for tourists in the city.
This morning the Taj Hotel was on fire and explosions had been heard in both the hotels.
Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean says at least two Australians have been injured in the attacks.
A trade delegation from New South Wales was among the guests staying at the Oberoi Hotel.
The delegation of about 20 people includes representatives from several companies in New South Wales as well as some departmental staff.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Department of State and Regional Development says the leader of the delegation called the department when alarms were going off in the hotel and they were being asked to leave their rooms, but the department has not been able to contact him since.
An organisation calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks in an email sent to Indian media organisations.
One witness at the Taj hotel said the attackers had been searching for people with British and American passports.
"I guess they were after foreigners, because they were asking for British or American passports," said Rakesh Patel, a British witness who lives in Hong Kong and was staying at the Taj Mahal hotel on business. "They had bombs."
"They came from the restaurant and took us up the stairs," he told the NDTV news channel, smoke stains all over his face. "Young boys, maybe 20 years old, 25 years old. They had two guns."
Speaking to ABC2's News Breakfast program, former ABC reporter Savitri Choudhry said the attacks had plunged the city into chaos.
"There have already been three explosions inside the [Taj] hotel," she said.
"There have been reports that the commandos were trying to storm the hotel but ... they're not sure how many people they are up against.
"I was in the Taj Hotel myself earlier this evening. As soon as I heard about the blast I called [my friend]. She was holed up in her room ... she said she could hear them outside her door. She turned off her lights and television ... we've been trying to call her but there's been no response yet and that's been very disturbing.
"People have been calling out, some have even escaped. There are a large number of guests who have been cordoned off and are in a safe part of the hotel."
More to come.
At least 78 people have been killed and more than 200 injured in a series of coordinated terrorist attacks across India's financial capital this morning.
Targets included the Oberoi and Taj hotels, the city's main railway station, the Cama hospital, and the Cafe Leopold, near the Taj Hotel and perhaps the most famous restaurant and hang-out for tourists in the city.
This morning the Taj Hotel was on fire and explosions had been heard in both the hotels.
Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean says at least two Australians have been injured in the attacks.
A trade delegation from New South Wales was among the guests staying at the Oberoi Hotel.
The delegation of about 20 people includes representatives from several companies in New South Wales as well as some departmental staff.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Department of State and Regional Development says the leader of the delegation called the department when alarms were going off in the hotel and they were being asked to leave their rooms, but the department has not been able to contact him since.
An organisation calling itself the Deccan Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attacks in an email sent to Indian media organisations.
One witness at the Taj hotel said the attackers had been searching for people with British and American passports.
"I guess they were after foreigners, because they were asking for British or American passports," said Rakesh Patel, a British witness who lives in Hong Kong and was staying at the Taj Mahal hotel on business. "They had bombs."
"They came from the restaurant and took us up the stairs," he told the NDTV news channel, smoke stains all over his face. "Young boys, maybe 20 years old, 25 years old. They had two guns."
Speaking to ABC2's News Breakfast program, former ABC reporter Savitri Choudhry said the attacks had plunged the city into chaos.
"There have already been three explosions inside the [Taj] hotel," she said.
"There have been reports that the commandos were trying to storm the hotel but ... they're not sure how many people they are up against.
"I was in the Taj Hotel myself earlier this evening. As soon as I heard about the blast I called [my friend]. She was holed up in her room ... she said she could hear them outside her door. She turned off her lights and television ... we've been trying to call her but there's been no response yet and that's been very disturbing.
"People have been calling out, some have even escaped. There are a large number of guests who have been cordoned off and are in a safe part of the hotel."
More to come.
Source: ABC News
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