Latest news with #BelizeAirportConcessionCompany
Fox News
18-04-2025
- Fox News
US man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before he's shot dead
Authorities at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (P.G.I.A.) say they were alerted to a U.S. man who was hijacking a small plane in Belize on Thursday. The man stabbed two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, according to officials in Belize and the United States. The passenger was licensed to carry a firearm and later turned his weapon over to the police. "We are praying for him," Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, told reporters. "He's our hero." Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. military veteran, a report by The Associated Press said. U.S. officials could not confirm the Belize police commissioner's statement that Taylor was a military veteran. The air flight Cessna Caravan V3HIG from Corozal to San Pedro had 14 passengers and 2 crew members onboard, the statement from P.G.I.A. said. A full emergency was declared immediately after the incident started and the aircraft circled in random directions for approximately two hours until finally landing safely at the P.G.I.A., according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company. U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a news briefing in Washington that officials were still gathering information about what occurred. "Horrifying," she said. "We are grateful, I think all of us are, that it 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." U.S. officials said they did not know the motive for Taylor's hijacking but were working with Belizean authorities to determine what happened.
The Independent
18-04-2025
- The Independent
Knife-wielding US citizen shot dead after hijacking small plane in Belize
A knife-wielding US citizen went on a stabbing spree after hijacking a small plane in Belize, before being shot dead by one of the injured passengers, police said. The hijacker has been identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a 49-year-old military veteran, said Belize police commissioner Chester Williams. The man was aboard a Tropic Air plane carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, en route from Corozal, a small town near Belize 's border with Mexico, to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro. The plane flew in erratic circles in the airspace between northern Belize and the capital, Belize City, for nearly two hours as the mid-air drama unfolded. A police helicopter tailed the aircraft before it eventually landed at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. The hijacker stabbed three people on board, including the pilot and a passenger who shot Taylor with a licensed firearm as the plane landed outside Belize City, police said. Upon landing, the injured pilot, passengers, and Taylor were rushed to the hospital, but the hijacker succumbed to his gunshot wounds. Belizean authorities declared a full emergency shortly after the incident began, around 8.30am local time, according to a statement from the Belize Airport Concession Company. The police commissioner said it was unclear how Taylor managed to board the plane with a knife, acknowledging that the country's smaller airstrips lack proper security measures. Taylor was reportedly denied entry into the country over the weekend. Police commissioner, Mr Williams, said Taylor was demanding to be flown out of Belize, possibly to Mexico, and at one point asked for the plane to land so it could be refuelled. The stabbed passenger who managed to shoot Taylor had a licence to carry a firearm and later handed the weapon over to police, Mr Williams said. The passenger was stabbed in the back and sustained a punctured lung. He remains in critical condition. 'We are praying for him,' Mr Williams told reporters. 'He's our hero.' US state department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, said at a news briefing in Washington that officials were still gathering information about the incident. '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.' Luke Martin, a US embassy spokesperson in Belize, said Taylor also insisted that he be taken to the US. 'We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States.' The airline, in a statement, 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.'
Sky News
18-04-2025
- Sky News
'Horrifying': Man hijacks plane and stabs passengers before being shot dead
A man hijacked a small plane in the Central American nation of Belize and stabbed two passengers and a pilot before being shot and killed by one of the stabbed passengers, officials have said. The Tropic Air plane was travelling from Corozal to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro with 14 passengers and two crew members on board when it was hijacked. The Cessna Caravan circled in random directions for nearly two hours and was followed by a police helicopter before it touched down at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. Authorities in Belize declared a full emergency when the incident began around 8.30am local time, according to the Belize Airport Concession Company. "In the face of incomprehensible pressure, our pilot acted with extraordinary courage and calm, guiding the aircraft to a safe landing," said Maximillian Greif, the CEO of the airline company. "His actions were nothing short of heroic." The two wounded passengers and pilot were being treated for their injuries at a hospital, officials said. A US State Department spokesperson described the incident as "horrifying". The Belize police commissioner, Chester Williams, identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a US military veteran, but US officials did not confirm that detail. One of the stabbed passengers was licensed to carry a firearm and shot and killed Taylor, the commissioner said. He was stabbed in the back and suffered a puncture to his lungs and remains in critical condition. "We are praying for him," Mr Williams said. "He's our hero." He said Taylor was demanding to be flown out of the country, possibly to Mexico, and at one point wanted the plane to land to take on more fuel. A US Embassy spokesperson in Belize said Taylor also insisted he be taken to the US, adding: "We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States." US officials said they do not know Taylor's motive for the hijacking but were working with authorities in Belize to discover what happened.
Los Angeles Times
17-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before being fatally shot
MEXICO CITY — A U.S. man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the passengers fatally shot him, officials in Belize and the United States said. The plane then landed safely. The Tripoc Air plane was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, and was flying from Corozal, a small town near Belize's border with Mexico, heading to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro when it was hijacked. The plane circled in random directions for nearly two hours as the drama unfolded in the skies. The plane was tailed by a police helicopter before touching down at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. The two wounded passengers and pilot were being treated at a hospital for their injuries, officials said. Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. military veteran. One of the stabbed passengers managed to shoot at Taylor, who was killed, Williams said, adding that the passenger was licensed to carry a firearm and later turned his weapon over to police. The passenger was stabbed in his back and suffered a puncture to his lungs, Williams said, adding that he remains in critical condition. 'We are praying for him,' Williams told reporters. 'He's our hero.' Williams said that Taylor was demanding to be flown out of the country, possibly to Mexico, and at one point wanted the plane to land to add more fuel. U.S. Embassy spokesperson Luke Martin in Belize said Taylor also insisted that he be taken to the U.S. 'We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States or what was the reason,' Martin said, adding that U.S. officials did not know the motive for Taylor's hijacking but were working with Belizean authorities to determine what happened. Martin could not confirm the Belize police commissioner's statement that Taylor was a military veteran. Belize authorities declared a full emergency immediately after the incident started, around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company. Maximillian Greif, the CEO of the airline company, said the hijacking was a 'serious and unprecedented in-flight emergency.' He said safety remains a 'top priority' for the airline. '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,' Greif said Janetsky and Watson write for the Associated Press. Watson reported from San Diego.
The Hill
17-04-2025
- The Hill
A US man hijacks a small plane in Belize and stabs people. He is fatally shot and plane lands safely
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A U.S. man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the passengers fatally shot him, officials in Belize and the United States said. The plane then landed safely. The Tripoc Air plane was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, and was flying from Corozal, a small town near Belize's border with Mexico, heading to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro when it was hijacked. The plane circled in random directions for nearly two hours as the drama unfolded in the skies. The plane was tailed by a police helicopter before touching down at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. The two wounded passengers and pilot were being treated at a hospital for their injuries, officials said. Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. military veteran. One of the stabbed passengers managed to shoot at Taylor, who was killed, Williams said, adding that the passenger was licensed to carry a firearm and later turned his weapon over to police. The passenger was stabbed in his back and suffered a puncture to his lungs, Williams said, adding that he remains in critical condition. 'We are praying for him,' Williams told reporters. 'He's our hero.' Williams said that Taylor was demanding to be flown out of the country, possibly to Mexico, and at one point wanted the plane to land to add more fuel. U.S. Embassy spokesperson Luke Martin in Belize said Taylor also insisted that he be taken to the U.S. 'We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States or what was the reason,' Martin said, adding that U.S. officials did not know the motive for Taylor's hijacking but were working with Belizean authorities to determine what happened. Martin could not confirm the Belize police commissioner's statement that Taylor was a military veteran. Belize authorities declared a full emergency immediately after the incident started, around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company. Maximillian Greif, the CEO of the airline company, said the hijacking was a 'serious and unprecedented in-flight emergency'. He said safety remains a 'top priority' for the airline. '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,' Greif said
