Three teachers from Northern Ireland are in "a state of shock" after they were detained and strip-searched, at Sofia airport, Bulgaria according to the school principal, the BBC reported .

The teachers, from Rosstulla Special School in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, were on their way home from a school skiing trip when their ordeal began at Sofia airport.

They had earlier reported a theft of money from their hotel to the police.

"They cooperated fully so it was quite a shock. Nothing was explained to them," said principal, Fiona Burke.

Burke said that the school party was going through passport control when officials stopped the vice-principal and two other teachers.

"The vice-principal had her passport removed, and wasn't allowed to communicate with anybody," she said.

"A member of staff was told she had now become a suspect, having been told earlier there was no question that any of them were suspects in the theft.

"The other member asked what was happening and was struck under the chin with her passport, and told to be quiet.

"She was removed and asked to remove her clothes and was strip-searched."

Burke said the teachers were "in a state of shock".

The ten children were looked after by other members of the school staff and a parent during the incident.

Burke said the tour company which organized the trip was in contact with the Bulgarian authorities in London.

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