Three Mormon missionaries from Utah were seriously injured in the attack at Brussels airport, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.

The three were near the explosion and have been hospitalised though few other details were available due to limited communications after the attack, the church said in a statement.

The injured missionaries were identified as Richard Norby, 66, Joseph Empey, 20, and Mason Wells, 19. They are based at the church's mission in Paris.

A fourth missionary, Sister Fanny Rachel Clain, 20, of Montlimar, France, had already passed through airport security on her way to an assignment in Ohio and was not hurt, the church said.