Passengers have on Monday thwarted attempt by armed gunmen to hijack a plane in Somalia’s northern port city of  Bossasso  in Semi-autonomous region of Puntland, Garowe online has learnt.

The plane owned by Daallo Airlines took off from Bosasso and was on its way to Djibouti when two Somali gunmen in the mid-air ordered the pilot to land the plane in northern town of Las Qorey, prompting passengers to fight back and injured one of the hijackers while nabbing the other one.

According to sources, the gunmen were after German journalists who boarded the plane.

The two hijackers were handed over to Puntland police after the plane peacefully landed back to Bassasso before continuing with the journey to Djibouti, the sources added.

Reports also say police have identified the gunmen as people believed to be affiliated with Somali militant group Al-Shabaab, which is fighting in South central Somalia.

Puntland Police are currently quetioning the gunmen to understand in detail who was behind the attempt  hijacking.