Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo chokes on toxic air as a thick blanket of winter fog rolls over the city

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Flights have been grounded and people told to stay indoors as a thick layer of smog has engulfed Bosnia’s capital of Sarajevo. Thursday’s fog had residents virtually choking on toxic air. The Swiss air quality technology company IQAir put Sarajevo’s air quality index, or AQI, at a “very unhealthy” 225, ranking city as the third most-polluted in the world. Sarajevo and other major cities in the Balkans are traditionally very polluted during winter months as countries there rely on coal and wood for heating. Experts have warned of effects on people’s health as bad air is linked to diseases and premature deaths.