Over in Brussels 8 gunmen have made off with 50 million dollars worth of rough cut diamonds stolen from the cargo of a plane bound for Switzerland.

Police say the masked robbers forced their way through a gate in two vehicles, before holding passengers and ground staff at gun point while offloading the cargo from the plane. Investigators are still searching for the gunmen.

It's being described as one of the biggest Diamond heists in recent history. 8 masked men forced their way through a gate at Brussels Airport before unloading a cargo of rough diamonds worth millions of dollars.

Armed with machine guns and dressed in police uniform, the gang drove up to the Swiss plane in two black vehicles with flashing blue police lights - carrying out their raid within minutes before escaping at high speed.

Jan Van der Cruysse, Brussels Airport Spokesman, said, "Two cars have made access to airport territory through the fence and have gone to the location where an aircraft of the Swiss airline Helvetic, flying on behalf of Swiss Airlines, was being prepared for departure. The aircraft was being loaded with cargo at that time. They have stopped near the aircraft and, heavily armed, they have taken a number of goods from the hold of the aircraft after which they have sped away by car and used the same exit were they have entered the airport territory."

A car believed to have belonged to the men was found torched on a nearby road. Investigators say the group was highly skilled.

The Diamonds were on their way to Zurich in Switzerland from Antwerp's diamond district - one of Europe's largest gem and jewelry trading hubs.

Back in 2003, robbers took off with around 100 million dollars worth of gold, jewels and stones taken from high security vaults, security has since been tightened, leaving many in the business scratching their heads.

Caroline De Wolf, World Diamond Centre spokeswoman, said, "It is a quite big number actually for a diamond heist but I think that we are mainly concerned of the way that it was able to be possible that this happened. I mean, the fact that you normally think that an airport and certainly an international airport is a very secure environment, which is exactly what you need when you are trading diamonds and you transport diamonds. It is a complete shock for us that this was even possible.”

An inquiry is underway to find holes in Brussels airport security, as a manhunt for 8 masked men continues.

CCTV correspondent Sandra Gathmann, Brussels, said, “This incident raises serious security questions, How were the gunmen able to cross the airport perimeter so easily, and was there help on the inside. as for the diamond trade, some sellers I spoke to in Antwerp where the diamonds came from, say their concern is a tainted reputation that prides itself in high security, and the fear that insurance prices may have just spiked.”

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