A MAN IN his 30s has been arrested following the hijacking of a bus in Omagh, Co Tyrone, this afternoon. 

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a man, who is believed to have been armed with a knife, let the passengers off the bus but kept the driver on board.

A spokesperson from Northern Ireland’s public transport service Translink confirmed that a Goldliner coach travelling on the Beltany Road in Omagh was involved in an incident this afternoon.

Translink Goldliner is an express service operating routes in Northern Ireland and cross-border routes to Dublin.

A Translink spokesperson said: “We are assisting the PSNI with their investigation including use of onboard CCTV and would ask anyone with information relating to the incident to contact the police.”

The hijacked bus was pursued along the A5 before it was stopped in Strabane.

Detective Inspector Winters with the PSNI said there have been several reports of collisions involving the stolen bus and other vehicles, including a police car.

Winters said: “Shortly before 1pm, police received a report that a bus had been hijacked in the Beltany Road area of Omagh.”

“The man, believed to be armed with a knife, allowed the passengers to leave the bus; however, he kept the driver on board before making off in the direction of Newtownstewart,” Winters added.

“A pursuit ensued along the A5 through Victoria Bridge and Sion Mills. The bus was eventually stopped in the Head of the Town area of Strabane and the man, aged in his 30s, was removed from the bus and subsequently arrested.”

The PSNI said one man has been taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries.

“The Fountain Street and Drumallagh areas in Strabane remain closed at this time and the public are asked to avoid the area,” Winter said. 

“A number of reports of collisions involving the stolen bus and other vehicles, including a police car and damage to property have been received at this time and officers are appealing to anyone involved in a collision or to anyone with footage that could assist with enquiries to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 624 12/09/26.”