Two injured in explosion on passenger jet in Somalia

No immediate explanation for blast as hole blown in side of plane’s fuselage

Flight D3159 was taking off from Mogadishu on Tuesday when the explosion occurred. Photograph: Google Maps
Flight D3159 was taking off from Mogadishu on Tuesday when the explosion occurred. Photograph: Google Maps

Two passengers were injured in an explosion that blew a hole in the fuselage of a commercial plane taking off from Mogadishu on Tuesday, an airline representative said.

There was no immediate explanation for the explosion from the airline or Somali government officials.

"Daalo airline was enroute to Djibouti but it landed shortly after it took off. A fire exploded and two passengers were slightly wounded," said Mohamed Hussein, an agent for Daallo Airlines, the operator of the flight.

Aviation website airlive.net said the explosion occurred on flight D3159, an Airbus A321, adding witnesses heard a loud bang.

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Daallo flies to several destinations in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, its website showed.

Reuters