Adding to the trend of plane incident is now a shocking hijacking that occurred in Belize on Thursday. A small passenger plane was taken over by a U.S. veteran armed with a knife around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to authorities.
The veteran was later fatally shot but not before he injured multiple people on the plane. According to Belize Airport Concession Company, the plane was heading to San Pedro. After the plane departed Corozal, authorities declared an emergency, citing that the plane was taken over by a passenger.
According to Belize police commissioner Chester Williams, the U.S. veteran, who was later identified as Akinyela Taylor, inflicted stab wounds on three passengers. While the extent of their injuries was not disclosed, authorities confirmed that they were transported to the hospital after the plane safely landed.
The landing came several hours after the takeoff, according to reports. The plane reportedly flew round in various directions during the hijacking before it touched down in the coastal town of Ladyville. The injured passengers were subsequently flown to a hospital.
Authorities confirmed that 14 passengers were aboard the plane with two crew members, and they all were accounted for when the plane landed.
Police Commissioner Williams confirmed that the man who shot Taylor during the in-flight incident was a licensed firearm holder and one of the passengers stabbed during the altercation. The shooter, who remains in critical condition, sustained severe injuries to his back and lungs. Authorities noted that he surrendered his weapon to police following the emergency landing.
U.S. Embassy spokesperson Luke Martin addressed the situation, confirming that Taylor was a U.S. citizen and clarifying that the U.S. had no knowledge of Taylor’s motive. However, Martin stated that U.S. officials are actively working with Belizean authorities to assist with the investigation.
Tropic Air CEO Maximillian Greif issued a statement acknowledging the gravity of the situation and commending the pilot for how the situation was handle. “Earlier today, a Tropic Air flight faced a serious and unprecedented in-flight emergency,” Greif said. “In the face of incomprehensible pressure, our pilot acted with extraordinary courage and calm, guiding the aircraft to a safe landing. His actions were nothing short of heroic.”
