A dramatic mid-air hijacking attempt took place on Thursday aboard a small Tropic Air plane in Belize, involving a 49-year-old US citizen, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, who was armed with a knife. The incident unfolded on a domestic flight carrying 14 passengers and two crew members from Corozal, near the Mexican border, to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro. Shortly after take-off, Taylor threatened the pilot and demanded that the plane be flown out of the country, also requesting additional fuel.

As the situation escalated, Taylor began attacking passengers and crew, injuring two passengers and the pilot with his knife.

The plane circled over Belize City for nearly two hours, closely monitored by a police helicopter, before it was forced to land in Ladyville as it was running low on fuel. During the chaos, one of the stabbed passengers—who was licensed to carry a firearm—managed to shoot Taylor, fatally wounding him.

This passenger, who suffered a punctured lung and remains in critical condition, was hailed as a hero by Belize’s Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. The other injured individuals were taken to hospital for treatment.

Authorities have not yet determined how Taylor managed to bring a knife onto the aircraft. Belizean officials have reached out to the US Embassy for assistance in the ongoing investigation. The US State Department and embassy officials expressed relief that the incident did not result in more casualties and praised the swift and effective response by both law enforcement and the heroic passenger.

Taylor, reportedly a US military veteran from California, had entered Belize earlier in the week but was denied official entry over the weekend. The incident has raised concerns about aviation security and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in crisis situations.

ANI