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A man has been arrested after a hijacked bus was brought to a stop after a police chase.<\/b><\/p>\n
The driver of the bus was threatened at knife point by a man, who then allowed passengers to leave the bus. However, the bus driver was kept on board.<\/p>\n
Videos circulating on social media appear to show a Translink Goldliner coach being driven at speed through residential streets while being chased by a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) patrol car.<\/p>\n
Police said the bus was hijacked in the Beltany Road area of Omagh, Co Tyrone, shortly before 13:00 BST on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The man who hijacked the bus then made off in the direction of Newtownstewart and a pursuit ensued along the A5 through Victoria Bridge and Sion Mills. <\/b>The pursuit lasted nearly 20 miles.<\/p>\n
“The bus was eventually stopped in the Head of the Town area of Strabane and a man, aged in his 30s was removed from the bus and subsequently arrested,” said a PSNI spokesperson.<\/p>\n
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said two people were taken to South West Acute Hospital for treatment.<\/p>\n
The NIAS added that they had dispatched two “emergency crews to the incident” and had initially treated to two patients “at the scene”.<\/p>\n
A number of reports of collisions involving the stolen bus and other vehicles, including a police car and damage to property have been received by police, who are appealing for information.<\/p>\n
The Fountain Street and Drumallagh areas in Strabane remain closed at this time and the public are asked to avoid the area.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in councillor Brian Barney Harte said a wall was damaged at the side of a house in Strabane during the pursuit. <\/p>\n
He said people were shocked and distressed, adding that his thoughts were with those involved.<\/p>\n
“How there has not been a fatality is only by a miracle,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Numerous cars and properties have been damaged and people have told me of near misses of pedestrians, some pushing prams.”<\/p>\n
Barney said the bus came to a stop right beside a children’s play park and that a police helicopter was involved in the chase.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for public transport operator Translink NI said: “We can confirm an incident occurred involving a Goldliner coach travelling on the Beltany Road in Omagh this afternoon.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n