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Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
I fell hard for 'The Jewel' — a Caribbean gem off the main tourist trail
Leaving London, the weather couldn't decide between drizzle and all-out downpour. I wasn't just after sunshine. I wanted a place where 'productivity' meant remembering to reapply sunscreen before noon. Belize was exactly that. Not the Caribbean of infinity pools and stiff cocktails, but somewhere refreshingly real. Beaches with more driftwood than Instagrammers, bartenders who double as turtle-spotting experts, and a vibe so laid-back that a major public announcement is 'The snorkel boat leaves at 9… or maybe 10.' It might be known as 'The Jewel', a nickname that reflects its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, but Belize is not on the main Caribbean tourist trail just yet. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. That path is currently populated by Barbados, St Lucia and Anguilla, but the Central American country has seen an increase in tourists in recent years. In 2024, it clocked a record-breaking 562,405 overnight visitors. In January, prestigious travel association ABTA named Belize as a destination to watch for 2025, citing its lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and ancient Mayan ruins as major drawcards for responsible adventurers. Landing on Belizean soil, I made my way to the Tropic Air Dangriga flight, which would take me on a breathtaking journey from Belize City to Dangriga in 20 minutes. Through scratched plexiglass windows, the reef emerges below like a jagged turquoise line against deeper blue, the coastline veined with mangrove channels. The 12-seat Cessna Caravan is not for the faint-hearted — it's a tiny capsule in which you can hear every word of the pilot, without a Tannoy system. A one-way ticket costs about £83. At the tiny airstrip – a concrete slab flanked by palm trees – I arrive alive, and a short drive takes me to The Lodge at Jaguar Reef. This hotel is essentially a collection of beachfront suites, complete with private plunge pools and a deck just steps from the ocean. The vibe is barefoot luxury: local wood, open-plan design, and a sea breeze drifting through windows. Rooms here range from approximately £189 to £334 per night, depending on the season and room type. Hopkins village moves at the pace of bicycle traffic and the occasional golf cart. I am guided by Get to Know Belize Adventures and as we drive around in our golf buggy, I'm struck by how peaceful this place is. More surprising is pulling up to the community square and seeing police officers repainting benches for the community. 'It needs a sprucing up,' one tells me. 'So here we are.' Nearby, I find a small bakery where I try fried jack, a buttery, fluffy pastry that's a Belizean staple, served by the smiling owner, her hands dusted in flour. The Garifuna people, descendants of West African, Carib, and Arawak ancestors, are central to Hopkins' culture. Exiled from St. Vincent in the 18th century, they settled along Belize's coast, maintaining their unique language, music, and traditions. My immersion begins with cooking hudut , a traditional fish and coconut stew, in an outdoor kitchen. My guide's wife shows me how to grate fresh coconut for the rich broth, then demonstrates the art of cracking one open with a machete. We pound plantains in a giant wooden mortar as the fish simmers away with coconut milk, garlic, onions, and habanero peppers. Eating it together at a long, rough-hewn table, the hudut's creamy broth balances the earthy mashed plantains perfectly. After lunch, a drumming lesson shifts to the beach. Local musicians teach me the basic rhythms of the primero and segunda drums. At first, I struggle to find the beat, but soon the sound of the waves and the music blur together. By sunset, I'm dancing barefoot in the sand, badly but blissfully. Later, we head out for a bioluminescence tour of Anderson Lagoon, and I'm told to expect magic. A mixture of excited and cynical, we sail through a tiny cut to get to the lagoon and find ourselves surrounded by giant mangroves. It's pitch black, the guide's flashlight beam cutting across the lagoon is the only light — then he turns it off. The boat picks up speed and the wake glows. Blue streams of light surrounds us from the water. As the boat pick upspeed, the tiny algae, which settle in the lagoon during the dry season, get agitated and glow, which for a bioluminescent newbie like me is mind-blowing. After a short boat ride through narrow mangrove channels, the captain kills the engine. In the dark stillness, every movement in the water sparks blue light — tiny bursts of, yes, living magic. Swimming through it feels like gliding through liquid stars, my arms trailing glowing comet tails. Tours cost approximately £56 per person. The next day's adventure feels a bit like driving through a film set. Winding along roads lined with orange groves and passing through the dreamlike Bamboo Cathedral – a natural tunnel of towering bamboo – is an experience in itself. As if the ride isn't dreamy enough, the road to the waterfall winds along the side of the mountain, with tall trees reaching above you and creating much-needed shade. We reach Maya King Waterfall, (entry £8 per person) in the Maya Mountains of the South East Coast. The two cascading falls are at their most dramatic during rainy season, crashing down into clear pools below. I could have spent hours here, soaking up the vibe, the only sound the rushing water echoing around us. In the charming village of Placencia, the footpath winds between brightly painted shops and beach bars. The Creole beach town is proud of its spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, where it's recognised for having the narrowest main street in the world. It's actually a 4,000-foot long footpath that is just four feet wide. A stroll along the pedestrian 'street' takes you past quaint rows of local artists' stalls, eclectic shops and cheekily-named beach bars. The village has managed to retain its boho vibe, despite a recent influx of wealthy American and Canadian retirees. Film director Francis Ford Coppola even opened a hotel here, the eco-friendly Turtle Inn. It's hard not to fall for the pace: no rush, no pressure, just friendly locals, lilting music, and the salty scent of the sea. My favourite perch is Tutti Frutti ice cream parlour, which serves delicious flavours like sour sop, a creamy local fruit beloved across the Caribbean that's usually made into a refreshing drink. After indulging in Placencia, a short Tropic Air hop (£75 one-way) takes me to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. San Pedro is giving Wes Anderson: pastel-coloured wooden buildings, narrow sandy streets, and golf carts buzzing around as the main form of transport. In fact, my 'taxi' from the mini-airport to Ramon's Village Resort is a golf buggy (golf cart rentals cost about £7 per hour), although you could easily walk it if you wanted. Ramon's Village feels like stepping back in time, in the best way. Thatched-roof cabanas, lush tropical gardens, hammocks swinging in the breeze. Everything here is designed to help you unplug. Room rates vary by season and type, ranging from £135 to £360. Reggae music floats from bars and beach shacks all over town, a nod to Belize's cultural ties to Jamaica (both were once British colonies). It shows up in the food too: comforting dishes like stew chicken, rice and kidney beans, fried jacks (similar to Jamaican fried dumplings), and sweet plantain accompany almost every meal. Familiar, yet quintessentially Belizean. That evening, I join the Belize Food Tour, which turns out to be one of the best ways to experience San Pedro's spirit. Walking between stops with a chatty group of fellow travellers and locals, we try everything from fresh conch ceviche to grilled lobster, tamales wrapped in banana leaves, and rich coconut pies. Along the way, we get snippets of history, gossip, and restaurant secrets—it's less like a formal tour and more like wandering town with new friends who know all the best bites. Approximately £57 per person. The next morning, it's time for the ultimate snorkelling trip to Hol Chan marine reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Also known as 'Little Channel', it has impossibly clear waters and coral gardens teeming with life. Swimming alongside rays and nurse sharks is thrilling for some, but full disclosure, it's not for me. While hanging on to the side of the boat, I do manage to capture a semblance of magic as I duck my head in. A kaleidoscope of fish glide past me; if you're into that sort of thing, this place is a veritable underwater theme park. Before leaving Belize, there's one final bucket-list moment: a scenic flyover of the iconic Great Blue Hole. More Trending From the air, the vast circular sinkhole looks surreal: deep, endless blue surrounded by the lighter turquoise of the reef. You might even spot dolphins or manatees swimming below if you're lucky. It's humbling and breathtaking all at once. Scenic flights cost £200 per person, or, if you prefer to get up close and personal, sea tours typically cost around £100, including snorkel gear and guide. It sounds trite, but each new day in Belize brings new adventure and fresh perspective. It's the kind of place that reminds you to slow down… and eat everything. I've fallen for Belize and the love feels reciprocated. What more could you want? There are no direct flights from the UK to Belize. Travelling in the first week of June, the cheapest option is flying with United Airlines from London Heathrow, with stops in New York and Houston. Return fares start from £651, and the journey takes just over 24 hours. British Airways also flies from London Heathrow, with one stop in Miami. Prices start from £837 for the same week. Do I need a visa? UK passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist visit to Belize. You can stay for up to 30 days without a visa. MORE: I swapped my sun holiday for a train trip to Europe's rainiest city — with highs of 8°C MORE: I searched for grizzly bears in a Canadian region tourists often miss MORE: I thought British holidays were boring, but this underrated island changed my mind
Metro
25-05-2025
- Metro
Chasing waterfalls and a Great Blue Hole, I fell hard for 'The Jewel'
Leaving London, the weather couldn't decide between drizzle and all-out downpour. I wasn't just after sunshine. I wanted a place where 'productivity' meant remembering to reapply sunscreen before noon. Belize was exactly that. Not the Caribbean of infinity pools and stiff cocktails, but somewhere refreshingly real. Beaches with more driftwood than Instagrammers, bartenders who double as turtle-spotting experts, and a vibe so laid-back that a major public announcement is 'The snorkel boat leaves at 9… or maybe 10.' It might be known as 'The Jewel', a nickname that reflects its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, but Belize is not on the main Caribbean tourist trail just yet. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. That path is currently populated by Barbados, St Lucia and Anguilla, but the Central American country has seen an increase in tourists in recent years. In 2024, it clocked a record-breaking 562,405 overnight visitors. In January, prestigious travel association ABTA named Belize as a destination to watch for 2025, citing its lush rainforests, pristine beaches, and ancient Mayan ruins as major drawcards for responsible adventurers. Landing on Belizean soil, I made my way to the Tropic Air Dangriga flight, which would take me on a breathtaking journey from Belize City to Dangriga in 20 minutes. Through scratched plexiglass windows, the reef emerges below like a jagged turquoise line against deeper blue, the coastline veined with mangrove channels. The 12-seat Cessna Caravan is not for the faint-hearted — it's a tiny capsule in which you can hear every word of the pilot, without a Tannoy system. A one-way ticket costs about £83. At the tiny airstrip – a concrete slab flanked by palm trees – I arrive alive, and a short drive takes me to The Lodge at Jaguar Reef. This hotel is essentially a collection of beachfront suites, complete with private plunge pools and a deck just steps from the ocean. The vibe is barefoot luxury: local wood, open-plan design, and a sea breeze drifting through windows. Rooms here range from approximately £189 to £334 per night, depending on the season and room type. Hopkins village moves at the pace of bicycle traffic and the occasional golf cart. I am guided by Get to Know Belize Adventures and as we drive around in our golf buggy, I'm struck by how peaceful this place is. More surprising is pulling up to the community square and seeing police officers repainting benches for the community. 'It needs a sprucing up,' one tells me. 'So here we are.' Nearby, I find a small bakery where I try fried jack, a buttery, fluffy pastry that's a Belizean staple, served by the smiling owner, her hands dusted in flour. The Garifuna people, descendants of West African, Carib, and Arawak ancestors, are central to Hopkins' culture. Exiled from St. Vincent in the 18th century, they settled along Belize's coast, maintaining their unique language, music, and traditions. My immersion begins with cooking hudut , a traditional fish and coconut stew, in an outdoor kitchen. My guide's wife shows me how to grate fresh coconut for the rich broth, then demonstrates the art of cracking one open with a machete. We pound plantains in a giant wooden mortar as the fish simmers away with coconut milk, garlic, onions, and habanero peppers. Eating it together at a long, rough-hewn table, the hudut's creamy broth balances the earthy mashed plantains perfectly. After lunch, a drumming lesson shifts to the beach. Local musicians teach me the basic rhythms of the primero and segunda drums. At first, I struggle to find the beat, but soon the sound of the waves and the music blur together. By sunset, I'm dancing barefoot in the sand, badly but blissfully. Later, we head out for a bioluminescence tour of Anderson Lagoon, and I'm told to expect magic. A mixture of excited and cynical, we sail through a tiny cut to get to the lagoon and find ourselves surrounded by giant mangroves. It's pitch black, the guide's flashlight beam cutting across the lagoon is the only light — then he turns it off. The boat picks up speed and the wake glows. Blue streams of light surrounds us from the water. As the boat pick upspeed, the tiny algae, which settle in the lagoon during the dry season, get agitated and glow, which for a bioluminescent newbie like me is mind-blowing. After a short boat ride through narrow mangrove channels, the captain kills the engine. In the dark stillness, every movement in the water sparks blue light — tiny bursts of, yes, living magic. Swimming through it feels like gliding through liquid stars, my arms trailing glowing comet tails. Tours cost approximately £56 per person. The next day's adventure feels a bit like driving through a film set. Winding along roads lined with orange groves and passing through the dreamlike Bamboo Cathedral – a natural tunnel of towering bamboo – is an experience in itself. As if the ride isn't dreamy enough, the road to the waterfall winds along the side of the mountain, with tall trees reaching above you and creating much-needed shade. We reach Maya King Waterfall, (entry £8 per person) in the Maya Mountains of the South East Coast. The two cascading falls are at their most dramatic during rainy season, crashing down into clear pools below. I could have spent hours here, soaking up the vibe, the only sound the rushing water echoing around us. In the charming village of Placencia, the footpath winds between brightly painted shops and beach bars. The Creole beach town is proud of its spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, where it's recognised for having the narrowest main street in the world. It's actually a 4,000-foot long footpath that is just four feet wide. A stroll along the pedestrian 'street' takes you past quaint rows of local artists' stalls, eclectic shops and cheekily-named beach bars. The village has managed to retain its boho vibe, despite a recent influx of wealthy American and Canadian retirees. Film director Francis Ford Coppola even opened a hotel here, the eco-friendly Turtle Inn. It's hard not to fall for the pace: no rush, no pressure, just friendly locals, lilting music, and the salty scent of the sea. My favourite perch is Tutti Frutti ice cream parlour, which serves delicious flavours like sour sop, a creamy local fruit beloved across the Caribbean that's usually made into a refreshing drink. After indulging in Placencia, a short Tropic Air hop (£75 one-way) takes me to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. San Pedro is giving Wes Anderson: pastel-coloured wooden buildings, narrow sandy streets, and golf carts buzzing around as the main form of transport. In fact, my 'taxi' from the mini-airport to Ramon's Village Resort is a golf buggy (golf cart rentals cost about £7 per hour), although you could easily walk it if you wanted. Ramon's Village feels like stepping back in time, in the best way. Thatched-roof cabanas, lush tropical gardens, hammocks swinging in the breeze. Everything here is designed to help you unplug. Room rates vary by season and type, ranging from £135 to £360. Reggae music floats from bars and beach shacks all over town, a nod to Belize's cultural ties to Jamaica (both were once British colonies). It shows up in the food too: comforting dishes like stew chicken, rice and kidney beans, fried jacks (similar to Jamaican fried dumplings), and sweet plantain accompany almost every meal. Familiar, yet quintessentially Belizean. That evening, I join the Belize Food Tour, which turns out to be one of the best ways to experience San Pedro's spirit. Walking between stops with a chatty group of fellow travellers and locals, we try everything from fresh conch ceviche to grilled lobster, tamales wrapped in banana leaves, and rich coconut pies. Along the way, we get snippets of history, gossip, and restaurant secrets—it's less like a formal tour and more like wandering town with new friends who know all the best bites. Approximately £57 per person. The next morning, it's time for the ultimate snorkelling trip to Hol Chan marine reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Also known as 'Little Channel', it has impossibly clear waters and coral gardens teeming with life. Swimming alongside rays and nurse sharks is thrilling for some, but full disclosure, it's not for me. While hanging on to the side of the boat, I do manage to capture a semblance of magic as I duck my head in. A kaleidoscope of fish glide past me; if you're into that sort of thing, this place is a veritable underwater theme park. Before leaving Belize, there's one final bucket-list moment: a scenic flyover of the iconic Great Blue Hole. More Trending From the air, the vast circular sinkhole looks surreal: deep, endless blue surrounded by the lighter turquoise of the reef. You might even spot dolphins or manatees swimming below if you're lucky. It's humbling and breathtaking all at once. Scenic flights cost £200 per person, or, if you prefer to get up close and personal, sea tours typically cost around £100, including snorkel gear and guide. It sounds trite, but each new day in Belize brings new adventure and fresh perspective. It's the kind of place that reminds you to slow down… and eat everything. I've fallen for Belize and the love feels reciprocated. What more could you want? There are no direct flights from the UK to Belize. Travelling in the first week of June, the cheapest option is flying with United Airlines from London Heathrow, with stops in New York and Houston. Return fares start from £651, and the journey takes just over 24 hours. British Airways also flies from London Heathrow, with one stop in Miami. Prices start from £837 for the same week. Do I need a visa? UK passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist visit to Belize. You can stay for up to 30 days without a visa. MORE: Forget the Med — I swapped the sun for a spectacular Scandinavian train ride MORE: A weekend in Brighton through the eyes of a child MORE: Move over Dubai – the Middle East's 'Pearl of the Gulf' is more interesting
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Passenger recalls watching hero pilot land Belizean plane as he was being stabbed by hijacker Akinyela Taylor
A shaken expat has told how US veteran Akinyela Taylor launched a deranged stabbing spree on board a packed Caribbean passenger flight – after the pilot refused to fly him to Texas. Doug Maxwell told how he watched in disbelief as Taylor sank a five-inch dagger into another passenger's neck moments after taking off from Corozal Municipal Airport in Belize on Thursday last week. The 14-seater Cessna Grand Caravan was configured for a 20-minute hop to the island of Ambergris Caye but the madman wanted to detour to Texas – a journey of 900-plus miles. Doug and his wife Kim cowered at the back of the plane as Tropic Air pilot Howell Grange circled erratically for nearly two hours before deciding to land in Belize City. Taylor slashed at Grange with the knife and grabbed at the controls until businessman Fitzgerald Brown suddenly pulled a handgun - and 'neutralized' Taylor, 49, with a blast to the chest. 'The pilot was focused on the landing while the hijacker was stabbing him and fighting for control of the plane,' Doug, 66, told 'Fitz had been stabbed. He was almost bleeding to death. But he had the patience to wait until the plane was almost on the ground before pulling his weapon. 'He used it at just the right moment. It was the most improbable, crazy thing. Both of those guys are real heroes.' Cops found Taylor bleeding out as they surrounded the Cessna on the tarmac of the Philip Goldson International Airport. The St. Louis native – previously a joint interface control officer in the Air National Guard – was transported to the hospital but was dead on arrival. Grange and Brown were badly injured in the midair melee, along with a Tropic Air manager who was on board the 8am commuter service. Doug, a retired real estate investor from Nashville, Tennessee had flown that same route more than 100 times to get to his home on Ambergris Caye. 'There are no baggage checks or X-ray machines in Corozal,' he told 'The small airports in Belize have minimal security. It's like hopping on a bus. Everyone knows one another for the most part.' There was at least one new face among the 14 passengers, however. Taylor had slipped across the porous Mexico-Belize border over the weekend having earlier been refused entry at a border crossing. He was sat next to Brown, the owner of a barbecue restaurant, and was across the aisle from Doug's wife Kim, 61. 'My wife noticed this guy was sweating profusely. Literally right after takeoff he pulled a knife and stabbed Fitz. There was blood pouring from his head,' said Doug. 'The knife was about five inches long. A little dagger basically.' As Kim scrambled to the back of the 52-foot plane, Air Tropic manager Franchesco Castaneda tried to intervene but was stabbed in the chest, head and arms. A young boy was sitting next to the pilot but he fled and Taylor chillingly took his place. 'At that point we realized this wasn't an altercation or a dispute, this was a hijacking,' Doug explained. 'There was blood everywhere. The young man was visibly in shock and crying. The rest of us were terrified. 'The hijacker had no real plan other than he wanted to be taken to Texas but that little plane can't fly across Mexico to Texas. 'I think once he became aware of that, he probably just wanted headlines and international news coverage.' As Kim, Doug, and their fellow passengers did their best to bandage up the wounded men, Grange concentrated on keeping the plane in the air. Flight V3-HIG circled Belizean airspace for the next hour and 40 minutes before it ran low on fuel. 'My assumption was the pilot was hoping the guy was high on drugs and that he would eventually come down,' added Doug, a grandad and dad of three. 'When that didn't happen, I wondered if the pilot was just running down the fuel so we didn't turn into a fireball when we hit the ground. 'It seems that he was trying to run down the fuel so he could insist on landing.' Taylor was unmoved by the pilot's pleas, however, and vowed to crash the turboprop into the ground as it descended towards Philip Goldson International. 'That's when he began wrestling the pilot for control of the plane,' said Doug. 'The guy was saying, you're not landing this plane. If you try to land we're taking this whole thing down and everyone is going to die.' As the Cessna hovered above the runway, the passengers unlatched the emergency exits, fearing they might have a split second to jump clear before it soared back into the air. 'As soon as the landing gear touched down we pulled the doors open. The first guy fell out while the plane was still at a fairly high speed,' Doug said. 'That's when we heard the shots in the front of the plane. It seemed like there were at least four or five. 'My wife and I were probably the third and fourth off the plane. She sprained her leg but she's ok. We ran as fast as we could towards the emergency vehicles.' Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams said 60-year-old Brown – a former security guard – was licensed to carry a gun and was a 'hero' for using it. But the Central American nation nonetheless faces serious questions about the safety of its airports and the ease with which weapons were taken on board. The Government of Belize said the hijacking was 'unexpected and deeply troubling' but defended its airspace as 'typically very secure'. 'Upon landing, the assailant sustained a fatal shot. Belizean security forces responded swiftly and professionally. A formal investigation has been launched and is actively underway,' a statement read. 'We commend the pilot for his exceptional professionalism and composure in the face of a highly stressful situation. 'His actions undoubtedly safeguarded the lives of all on board. All passengers demonstrated remarkable bravery, and their efforts contributed to the positive outcome.'
Daily Mirror
22-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Strange history of teacher who hijacked plane and stabbed three in rampage
Akinyela Sawa Taylor, who stabbed three people on a Belize flight, is rumoured to be a US veteran and teacher, and less than two years ago published a book with a troubling message about a 'vision' Many people hate flying, harbouring fears of crashes, turbulence, or terrorism. And one of those fears came true for 14 unlucky passengers and two crew members who found themselves hijacked at knifepoint soon after takeoff. The plane started circling as the incident unravelled, and was even followed by a helicopter towards the end of its journey as police communicated with a passenger via text. Pilot Howell Grange was one of the three people stabbed during the horrifying flight, but miraculously managed to land the plane despite deep wounds on his right arm, back, and even his face. While there was no loss of life on the plane bar the knifeman himself, many people remain unsettled as authorities try to figure out many mysteries behind the hijacking. A US citizen has now been identified as the man who hijacked a Tropic Air flight in Belize on April 17. In the terrifying incident, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, 49, revealed and brandished a knife, going on to stab pilot Howell Grange and two passengers, named as Fitzgerald Brown and Jair Castañeda. There's an ongoing investigation in place in both America and Belize, with many questions still unanswered. Police state that just days prior to his attack, Taylor had been denied entry into Belize - so how did he get himself into the country? It's also said that Taylor pulled the knife in an attempt to get the domestic flight to refuel and leave Belize, but unknown where he wanted to go and why. Most obviously, authorities are still trying to figure out his motivations and how he got the knife onto the plane. Taylor is now dead, having been shot in the chest by a fellow passenger who was legally carrying a firearm - preventing what could have been a mass disaster with 14 passengers on the small Cessna Caravan V3HIG utility aircraft. Despite police not being able to question the hijacker, some details of his past have emerged. Police Commissioner Chester Williams spoke at a conference after the horror flight, and said it seemed that Taylor was a US veteran, who, in photos of his passport, was born in California on February 19, 1976. Meanwhile, the US Embassy, who are helping Belize in their investigation into Taylor, said that it had no details on Taylor's background or motivation, according to Reuters. The outlet reports that Philip SW Goldson International Airport, which declared a state of emergency at the time, had shed more light on his past. The airport claimed that Taylor worked as a teacher, having previously coached football at the McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri. The Ferguson-Florissant School District has released a statement on Taylor's employment, clarifying that he was an assistant football coach at the high school from June 2018 to February 2019, but is 'no longer affiliated with the District in any capacity,' according to Channel 5 Belize. Taylor's family has also now spoken out, expressing shock at the news and claiming he seemed in good mental health just a couple of weeks before carrying out the hijacking. His nephew, from St. Louis, Missouri - an area where Taylor is known to have many connections - said: "I don't think he would do something like this. He was okay when I last saw him two weeks ago. He wasn't on any medication. No signs of PTSD. This is a big shock to me and the rest of our family." In a strange twist, Taylor also recently appeared to have published a book about redemption partly based on his own experiences. Journey of the Mire: The Calling was released on August 14, 2023 under the pen name Tommie Taylor III, and features a main character called Akinyela alongside including a photo of Taylor on the back. In one section of the novel as available on Amazon, Tommie Taylor III wrote: 'The vision had etched itself in Akinyela's soul, a beacon of purpose that burned brighter than any star in the sky. It beckoned him to embark on a perilous journey through the Mire, a treacherous landscape of swamps, murky waters, and ever-shifting paths.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Yahoo
American man hijacks plane headed to popular Belize tourist town
The Brief An American man and possible U.S. military veteran hijacked a plane that was heading to a popular Belize tourist town. The plane was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members when the hijacker, Akinyela Taylor, flew the plane for nearly two hours, demanding to return to the U.S. A passenger on the plane was able to shoot and kill Taylor, despite being stabbed by Taylor and suffering a punctured lung. An American man hijacked a small plane heading to a popular Belize tourist town Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot before he was shot and killed by another passenger. The terrifying incident started around 8:30 a.m. local time and lasted for nearly two hours. What we know A Tropic Air plane had 14 passengers and two crew members on board when the hijacking happened. It was flying from Corozal, a small town near the Belize-Mexico border, to San Pedro, a popular tourist destination. The flight route provided by Flightradar 24 shows the plane circling around randomly. A police helicopter was following the plane before it landed safely in the coastal town of Ladyville. The hijacker, later identified as Akinyela Taylor, stabbed two passengers and a pilot during the hijacking. One of the stabbed passengers was able to shoot and kill Taylor, despite being stabbed in the back and suffering a punctured lung. The passenger was licensed to carry a gun and later turned it over to police. He remains in critical condition. What we don't know The Belize police commissioner said Taylor was a U.S. military veteran, but U.S. officials have not confirmed his military status. It's also unclear why Taylor hijacked the plane. Police said Taylor was demanding to be flown out of the country to the U.S., and at one point wanted the plane to land to add more fuel. READ MORE: 'Wildlife strike' forces United Airlines flight to make emergency landing, officials say What they're saying "We don't know why he wanted to go back to the United States," U.S. Embassy spokesperson Luke Martin said. "Horrifying," U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. "We are grateful, I think all of us are, that that did not turn into a mass casualty event." READ MORE: American Airlines flight catches fire after landing in Denver: What we know "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," said Maximillian Greif, the CEO of the airline company. The Source This report includes information from The Associated Press and Flightradar24.
