A local flight carrying journalists, humanitarian workers makes emergency landing in Mogadishu after it was shot at Garbaharey Airport

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A local flight carrying journalists, humanitarian workers makes emergency landing in Mogadishu after it was shot at Garbaharey Airport

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) A local flight ferrying a group of local journalists covering drought-affected communities and humanitarian workers made an emergency landing on Tuesday after it has been shot with several bullets while landing at Garbahare

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Garbaharey, the capital of the Gedo region, is located 449 kilometers (278 miles) southwest of Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) A local flight ferrying a group of local journalists covering drought-affected communities and humanitarian workers made an emergency landing on Tuesday after it has been shot with several bullets while landing at Garbaharey Airport in Gedo region, local security official and journalists told Horn Observer.

No casualty was reported as the flight was diverted to Mogadishu due to safety concerns. Garbaharey, the capital of the Gedo region, is located 449 kilometers (278 miles) southwest of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

The Jubba Airways flight departed Mogadishu via Baidoa early on Tuesday. The group of the journalists had earlier covered drought-hit areas in South West State of Somalia.

"We flew from Mogadishu via Baidoa in the morning. Our initial plan was to land at Garbaharey Airport but upon approaching the airport our plane was hit with several loud shots. The pilot informed us that it was not safe to land. Then the flight was diverted to Mogadishu,' said one journalist at the flight.

A second reporter at the flight said he begun to pray for safety after the pilot informed about the emergency mid air. "I thought we were going to die," he added.

Ali Mohamud, a security official at Mogadishu's Aden Adde Airport told Horn Observer that the aircraft returned to Mogadishu with one engine as the fuel was leaking because the bullets burst the fuel tank.

"There were at least five shots that hit the surface of the aircraft including the fuel tank. This led the flight to make emergency landing back to Mogadishu," said Mohamud.

Investigation was initiated into the incident, according to a senior United Nations official in Mogadishu. The flight was charted by a United Nations to survey the drought-hit regions of the country.

Somalia has declared a state of humanitarian emergency as drought ravages 80 percent of the country, leaving more than two million people short of food and water.

Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble, who declared the emergency, appealed for an urgent response.

Jubbaland, Galmudug and South West are among the severely affected parts. Somali authorities say the situation is very dire and there is a need for an immediate response, the prime minister added.