Authorities reported that four men hijacked and set a bus on fire in a unionist area of Northern Ireland on Sunday evening. The police received a report of the kidnapping incident in the Church Road area of Newtownabbey, a suburb of Belfast, around 7:45 PM.
The police in Northern Ireland stated in a press release, "It was reported that four men boarded the bus and ordered the passengers to get off before setting it on fire. Church Road is currently closed, and traffic is being diverted; the police will ask people to avoid the area."
Translink, the company operating the bus, confirmed that the driver and a few passengers exited safely. The company stated, "Our driver is shaking significantly and is receiving support from colleagues at this time."
The statement continued, "We are deeply disappointed by this frightening attack on one of our employees and public transport services in the area. We strongly condemn this behavior and will work closely with the police in Northern Ireland to investigate this incident."
Last week, masked and armed men hijacked another bus and set it on fire in an attack that local media reported as being linked to tensions over trade barriers following the UK's exit from the European Union.
