Three people were taken hostage when a minibus was hijacked at Dublin Airport in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The minibus had crossed the border and was detected by the PSNI in Crossmaglen. It then rammed the police patrol to make its escape back across the border. No PSNI officers were injured.

Independent.ie understands the shuttle bus belonging to a well-known hotel was stolen from the roadway in front of Terminal 2 around 1am.

Two hijackers locked the doors, effectively trapping the passengers already on board, and took off in the direction of the M1 motorway.

A source said the traumatised passengers were eventually allowed out near Julianstown, Co Meath, a 30-minute drive away.

The hijacker demanded money from the victims before they left the minibus. None were harmed.

They thieves then continued north through Dundalk and across the border into Northern Ireland.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were alerted to the situation – but it is believed the vehicle then diverted back into county Monaghan.

A major garda operation, involving the air support and the armed Emergency Response Unit, swung into operation.

It is understood the bus was crashed but the two men escaped on foot and stole a car.

Gardai gave chase and two suspects were apprehended.

In a statement to Independent.ie, PSNI confirmed that they "received a report from our colleagues in An Garda Siochana that a stolen transit van had been tracked crossing the border".

"Officers observed the vehicle in Crossmaglen Square, and upon police entering the car park the transit van collided with the police vehicle causing damage to the front of the car," a spokesperson said.

"The transit van then made off from the area and re-crossed the border.

"The PSNI officers were not injured during the incident."

Two men were later arrested by Gardai.

A Garda spokesman said the two occupants of the minibus fled on foot before taking possession of a parked car, which was intercepted by officers close to Castleblayney a short time later.

Two men, aged in their 30s, are being questioned at Carrickmacross Garda Station.

Independent.ie