Bomb explodes at Loo beach just north of the southern resort town of Sochi

On 7 August 2008 a bomb exploded at Loo beach just north of the southern resort town of Sochi at approximately 1035 local time (0635 UTC). Two people were killed and four others were injured. The bomb may have been hidden in an unmarked package that one of the victims picked up. The beach was evacuated shortly after the explosion occurred. It has not been confirmed who was responsible for the blast, although fighting between organized criminal groups is one possibility being investigated and reports have cited the city's proximity to the volatile North Caucasus region and the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia. Sochi, which is a popular domestic tourist destination located approximately 845 mi/1,360 km south of Moscow, will host Winter Olympic games in 2014.