Latest news with #PhilipS.W.GoldsonInternationalAirport
Gulf Today
18-04-2025
- Gulf Today
US citizen shot dead by passenger after attempting to hijack plane
A US man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, officials in Belize and the United States said. The plane then landed safely. The Tropic 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 would-be hijacker threatened the pilot shortly after the Cessna Grand Caravan from Belize's Tropic Air took off in the morning with 14 on board from the town of Corozal. It was headed for the Belizean island of San Pedro, but the man ordered the pilot to head "out of the country," police commissioner Chester Williams told Channel 5 news. A Tropic Air counter is seen at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City. AFP The plane hovered for some time over the international airport of Belize City before landing just as it was about to run out of fuel, at which point the hijacker stabbed two fellow passengers. One had a firearm he was licensed to carry, and shot the attacker dead, according to officials and local media. Police identified the assailant as 49-year-old US national Akinyela Sawa Taylor, who was apparently a military veteran. The injured passengers were taken to the hospital. The US Embassy in Belize expressed its regret over the incident on the eve of the Easter long weekend. "It really highlights the importance of safety and security," the embassy's public affairs officer Luke Martin told reporters. "We have a strong relationship with Belizean law enforcement, and in times like this, that partnership proves crucial," with a quick exchange of information, he added. Agencies
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
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." Young American Tourists' Cause Of Death Revealed After They Were Found 'Motionless' At Beach Resort 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. Read On The Fox News App 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. Atlanta Bus Hijacking Suspect Had 19 Prior Arrests, Mental Illnesses, Family Says 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 article source: US man hijacks small plane in Belize, stabs 3 people before he's shot dead
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.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Small airplane hijacked in Belize, suspect dead
(NewsNation) — Airport officials say several passengers sustained injuries after an individual hijacked a small Cessna airplane in Belize Thursday morning. Authorities with the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City said in a statement that they were alerted around 8:30 a.m. local time that a hijacker was aboard a Cessna Caravan V3HIG. Belize media outlets have reported that the suspect is an American citizen, citing the local police commissioner. The plane was carrying 14 passengers and 2 crew members on board and was headed from Corozal to San Pedro, officials said. A full emergency was immediately declared as the aircraft 'circled in random directions' before safely landing at approximately 10:12 am. The suspect is reportedly dead, authorities said. All passengers were accounted for by emergency personnel with various injuries reported, the statement said. The injured were flown to a local hospital for treatment. Officials said an investigation is ongoing. The flight departed from Corozal at 8:17a.m at an altitude of 1,025 feet, according to Flightradar24. It continued toward Belize City and then vectored off the Belize coast for little more than an hour. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said they are aware of the events in Belize. 'We watched that unfold as everyone else did. Horrifying. 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,' Bruce said. 'Clearly we know a few details, we don't know much more…. It's terrifying… we don't know about injuries or any other details so I certainly can't comment. It seems like there was obviously effective law enforcement on the ground.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
