Passengers foil Somali gunmen's hijack attempt

Tue Nov 3, 2009

Two Somali gunmen attempted to hijack a plane flying to Djibouti from Bossaso airport, but the effort was foiled by the passengers, local aviation officials announced.

The two Somali gunmen ordered the pilot to divert the plane, owned by Daallo Airlines, to land in the northern coastal town of Las Qorey, prompting the 30 passengers to desperately fight back and overpower the gunmen, according to Garowe online, a Press TV correspondent reported from Kenya.

The passengers were unhurt, but one of the hijackers was injured.

The pilot immediately returned to Bassaso airport to hand the hijackers over to the authorities before continuing with the journey to Djibouti.

The Puntland police are currently investigating the motive behind the attempted hijacking. Media reports said the gunmen were reportedly after German journalists aboard the plane.

Bossaso is the commercial port town in the semi-autonomous northeastern Somali region of Puntland, which declared its autonomous status in 1998. It is well known for rampant piracy along its vast coast and kidnappings targeting foreigners.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://edition.presstv.ir/detail/110300.html.