Bosnia’s capital chokes on toxic air as thick blanket of smog engulfs Sarajevo

A tall building peaks through a dense layer of fog and smog in Sarajevo, Bosnia (Armin Durgut/AP)

Flights have been grounded and people told to stay indoors as a thick blanket of smog engulfed Bosnia’s capital as residents tried to cope with toxic air.

Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, which assesses air quality in real time, put Sarajevo’s air quality index (AQI) at a “very unhealthy” 225, ranking the city as the third most polluted in the world.