Matthew Diebel

USA TODAY

Three Mormon missionaries from Utah were among those injured during terror attacks Tuesday in the main airport in Brussels, according to church officials and family members.

The bombings, two at the airport and one in the city's subway, killed at least 30 people and injured scores.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the three — Richard Norby, 66, of Lehi, Joseph Empey, 20, of Santa Clara, and Mason Wells, 19, of Sandy — were serving in the church’s Paris mission. They were all “seriously injured” while dropping off another missionary at airport security, the church said in a statement.

“The missionaries were taking Sister Fanny Rachel Clain, 20, of Montélimar, France, to the airport,” the church's statement added. “Sister Clain had been serving in that mission while awaiting a permanent visa for the United States.”

In a later statement, the church said that Clain was hospitalized with minor injuries. "She was with the three other missionaries who were injured," the statement said, "but had left them and passed through airport security when the explosion occurred."

In a Facebook post, Empey's parents, Court and Amber Empey, said that they were "grateful that Elder Empey and his companion Elder Wells are okay."

The couple said their son will need surgery on a leg wound "and does have some shrapnel in his ankles and knee. He has some 2nd degree burns to his hands and head. He has been in contact with us. We would all like to thank you for your love and prayers.”

In a later statement issued through the church's public affairs office, the Empeys said that surgery "was just completed for shrapnel injuries to his legs. We have been in touch with him and he is grateful and in good spirits. ... We are thankful for the outpouring of love and prayers from throughout the world, and we pray for all those affected by this tragedy."

Santa Clara 14th ward bishop Chad Parker said he had visited the Empey family on Tuesday morning. "They're just grateful that he and the other missionaries are doing OK," he said,

Empey was scheduled to return home from his mission in July.

Kaleen Lambson-Talley, the secretary to the principal at Snow Canyon High School, where Empey graduated in the class of 2014, said her son played on the rugby team with Empey.

“He’s a great individual. … Smart, a good student,” Lambson-Talley said. “It’s a real hard day for us.”

Empey’s friend Navy Dalton said he visited the young man’s family Tuesday morning and saw the missionary and his parents text each other.

"He loves having fun, he loves making people smile and he loves joking," Dalton said, adding that Empey is “an amazing musician” who enjoys playing the guitar, banjo and ukulele.

He said the pair wants to set up a non-profit for inner-city youths after Empey returns home. “We want to focus on kids in the inner city that get looked over,” Dalton said, noting that during his own mission in Denver he saw children who never seemed to have more than one pair of clothes, and who played in the streets without shoes.

“We want to educate them, help them,” Dalton said.

Empey is serving in the France-Paris mission, a portion of which covers parts of Belgium. He was serving in France when terrorists launched an attack on Paris neighborhoods in November, killing more than 100 people.

Two prominent Utah politicians, longtime U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch and Governor Gary Herbert reacted to the events in Belgium, including the injuries to the missionaries.

"Once again, the forces of evil have attacked an ally of freedom," Hatch said in a tweet. "We pray for the families of the fallen and for the LDS missionaries from Utah who have been injured in these attacks. The world must stand united against terrorism to hold those accountable for these senseless acts of violence."

Gov. Gary Herbert also posted on Twitter: "“It is not uncommon for innocent victims to be targeted in these terrorist attacks," he said, "but seldom do we see people of faith who have forsaken everything – family, friends, school and careers – in order to share a message or hope and love with the world also fall victim," Herbert said, referring to the missionaries.

"To the Norby, Empey and Wells families, please know that the state of Utah is united in prayer at this time for the health and well-being of your missionaries. As Utahns, we stand together with our fellow Americans and those around the world in our resolve to put an end to these acts of terror.”

Contributing: Jud Burkett, Kevin Jenkins and Casie Forbes, The (St. George, Utah) Spectrum.