A US citizen attempted to hijack a small Tropic Air plane in Belize on Thursday (local time). Three people were reportedly injured in the incident. The suspect was later shot dead by a fellow passenger.
The incident occurred mid-air on a Tropic Air flight V3HIG, operating a routine domestic service from Corozal (CZH) to Belize City (BZE)
The 49-year-old suspect started attacking passengers with a knife, the New York Post cited officials as saying.
The assailant was later identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a US citizen, according to Belize Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.
Commissioner Williams praised the passenger who intervened and shot Taylor, calling them a “hero”, as reported by the New York Post.
Authorities said that it remains unclear how Taylor managed to bring a knife onto the plane. Belizean officials have contacted the US Embassy for assistance in the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Viral Videos
A video surfaced online that puportedly showed “the tense moment inside a light aircraft during a mid-air situation over Belize.”
“The aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX registered V3-HIG, appeared to experience turbulence or an in-flight issue, as seen in the video,” claimed the person who shared the video on X.
Another video showed the Tropic Air plane landing in Belize City after a knife-wielding man reportedly hijacked the flight.
A source at the airport in Belize told Newsweek, “All flights are grounded” and staff are “freaking out.”
According to RT.com, the hijacker “demanded more fuel for the plane and to be flown out of the country.”
The Tropic Air plane landed safely in Belize after attempted hijacking incident.
The hijacker was shot in his chest and was pronounced dead on arrival, an official told Belize.com.
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