US citizen stabs 3 in plane hijack in Belize
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Authorities have revealed that the US citizen in question was fatally shot after hijacking a Belizean plane with a knife.
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A Tropic Air Cessna at Belize Airport (Tropic Air)
A US citizen hijacked a small aircraft in Belize on Thursday, attacking two passengers and the pilot with a knife before being fatally shot by one of the injured passengers, officials from both Belize and the US confirmed. Despite the chaos, the plane was able to land safely.
The aircraft, operated by Tropic Air, was carrying thirteen passengers and two crew members. It had departed from Corozal, a town near Belize’s northern border with Mexico, and was en route to the popular island destination of San Pedro when the incident occurred.
Police were alerted to the hijack shortly after the takeoff, and for nearly two hours, the plane flew erratically while the situation unfolded, with a police helicopter in pursuit. Eventually, it landed at an airport in Ladyville, a town along Belize's coast.
According to the Belize Airport Concession Company, the emergency began around 8:30 am local time. In a statement on the airline's website, Tropic Air's CEO Maximillian Greif praised the pilot's actions, saying, “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.”
He further stated, "Safety is and remains our top priority. Our pilots undergo rigorous training to respond effectively and efficiently to any situation, and today we pause to recognize the bravery, skill, and leadership that brought our aircraft home safely."
A small passenger plane was reportedly hijacked by a knife-wielding man in Belize on Thursday. A source at the airport in Belize told Newsweek that "all flights are grounded" and that staff are "freaking out." pic.twitter.com/u7diuQYXfa
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 17, 2025
The injured pilot and passengers were taken to a hospital for medical treatment, officials reported.
In Washington, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed the incident at a news briefing, saying officials were still trying to piece together what happened. “Horrifying,” she said. “We are grateful, I think all of us are, that that did not turn into a mass casualty event with I believe over a dozen people on the plane. Clearly we know a few details. We don’t know much more.”
What happened?
Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor, who he said was a US military veteran. However, US authorities said they had not confirmed that detail.
According to Williams, one of the injured passengers shot Taylor, killing him. That passenger, who had a licensed firearm, handed it over to police after the plane landed. Williams said the passenger suffered a lung puncture from a stab wound to the back and remained in critical condition. “We are praying for him,” Williams told reporters. “He’s our hero.”
A Tropic Air official, speaking anonymously, named the injured crew member as Howell Grange and identified the wounded passengers as Fitzgerald Brown and Jair Castañeda. The nationalities of Brown and Castañeda were not immediately known.
Williams also said Taylor had demanded the plane be flown out of Belize, potentially to Mexico, and had at one point requested a landing to refuel.
Luke Martin, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Belize, added that Taylor had insisted on being flown to the United States. “We don’t know why he wanted to go back to the United States,” Martin said.
While Taylor’s motives remain unclear, US officials said they are cooperating with Belizean authorities to investigate the hijacking.
Belize authorities are now investigating how Taylor was able to get on the plane with a knife, especially considering that he was reportedly denied entry to the Central American country over the weekend.
