Two men have gone on trial in absentia in Bulgaria accused of being accomplices in a suicide bombing that killed five Israeli tourists.

Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan, whose whereabouts are unknown, are alleged to have provided the explosives and logistical support for the bomber, Mohamad Hassan El-Husseini.

The tourists were killed and 35 others injured when El-Husseini set off his device on a bus at the airport in the Black Sea of Burgas in July 2012.

The bus driver also died in the blast.

An investigation found that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack, leading to the EU banning the terror group.

Farah and Hassan, who both have Lebanese backgrounds and are believed to have links with Hezbollah, will be tried “for a terrorist attack and manslaughter of several people as well as for a range of other crimes such as document fraud and preparations for an act of terrorism,” the prosecutor said.

The court heard from witnesses who were at the airport when the attack took place.

The trial was adjourned to February 6. Survivors of the bombing are expected to give evidence via a video link from Israel.