A suspected explosion on an Airbus A321 flight operated by Somalia’s Daallo Airlines from Mogadishu to Djibouti ripped the fuselage of the aircraft, killing one passenger and injuring two people.

A burning passenger was ejected out of the huge hole ripped by the blast that took place five minutes after taking off.

According to onboard passengers, the charred body of an elderly person fell to the ground 15m away from Mogadishu airport.

Daallo representatives said two people were injured in the blast. However, the pilots of the Airbus A321 were able to land the plane safely in Somalia.

Daallo Airlines said in a statement: "According to the information received from Mogadishu airport, the flight was approximately 15 minutes in the air when the incident happened, which caused a hole in the fuselage.

"According to the information received from Mogadishu airport, the flight was approximately 15 minutes in the air when the incident happened, which caused a hole in the fuselage."

"All passengers, except one, disembarked safely after the aircraft landed at the airport and currently investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of one missing passenger.

"Two passengers have been reported to have suffered minor injuries and they were taken to the hospital for treatment."

Though the reason behind the blast is still not clear, the authorities are suspecting it as a failed terror attack.

Mogadishu Civil Aviation authority and Hermes Airlines technical team, Greece are investigating the blast in close co-ordination with Greece Civil Aviation Authority and aircraft manufacturer Airbus.

Serbian pilot Vladimir Vodopivec was quoted by Blic saying: "I think it was a bomb.

"Luckily, the flight controls were not damaged so I could return and land at the airport.

"Something like this has never happened in my flight career."