US Man Shot Dead After Attempted Mid-Air Hijacking on Belize Flight
A shocking mid-air incident unfolded over Belize skies on Thursday when a 49-year-old American man attempted to hijack a small commercial flight bound for San Pedro. Armed with a knife, the suspect injured three passengers before being fatally shot by a fellow traveler, according to reports from The New York Post.
The attacker, identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a US citizen, launched the assault aboard a Tropic Air flight. As panic broke out on the small aircraft, one brave passenger took decisive action, shooting Taylor and stopping the attack.
Belize Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed the suspect's identity and hailed the intervention, calling the armed passenger a "hero" for preventing a potential tragedy in the skies.
Authorities are still investigating how Taylor managed to board the flight with a weapon, with security protocols now under scrutiny. Belizean officials have reached out to the US Embassy for cooperation in the ongoing probe.
The condition of the three injured passengers has not been disclosed, and no further injuries were reported among other passengers or crew.
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