 "The hijacker, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, was a US citizen and believed to be a military veteran, according police officials. Image courtesy: X/ @ClaudiaBryan01")
A domestic flight in the US’ Belize turned into a scene of panic on Thursday, when an American passenger attempted to hijack the aircraft mid-air.
The man, later identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, pulled a knife shortly after takeoff and went on a stabbing spree, injuring multiple people, including a pilot. But before the situation could spiral further, another injured passenger, who was legally armed, intervened and fatally shot the 49-year-old attacker.
The plane eventually landed safely, averting what authorities said could have been a mass casualty event. Investigations are now underway to understand who Taylor was, how he managed to get on the flight with a weapon, and what motivated the violent outburst.
Here’s what we know so far.
The mid-air horror
The terrifying incident began shortly after a small Tropic Air flight took off from Corozal, heading towards the island town of San Pedro, with 14 passengers and two crew members on board.
Police said they received word that the flight had been hijacked by one of the passengers not long after takeoff. According to People, the man pulled out a knife mid-air and stabbed the pilot, Howell Grange, along with two passengers — Fitzgerald Brown and Jair Castañeda.
The attacker then reportedly demanded that the pilot fly the plane out of the country. But before he could take full control, one of the injured passengers, who was legally armed, managed to shoot him during the flight.
Officials confirmed that the suspect was shot in the chest by the passenger, though it’s still unclear exactly how the confrontation unfolded inside the aircraft.
The plane, now off course and flying erratically, remained in the air for nearly two hours before making an emergency landing in the coastal town of Ladyville. A police helicopter escorted the aircraft as it approached the runway. It was also nearly out of fuel.
Authorities said a full emergency was declared around 8:30 am local time, shortly after the attack began. The Belize Airport Concession Company confirmed the timeline in an official statement.
“All flights were grounded temporarily, and staff were extremely shaken. We’ve never experienced anything like this,” a source from the airport told Breaking Belize News.
Witnesses reported seeing the assailant wounded, with blood on his face, as police surrounded the plane upon landing.
The pilot and the two wounded passengers were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover. Taylor was also transported for medical treatment but was declared dead on arrival, according to Newsweek.
In a statement released on Thursday, Tropic Air Belize CEO Maximillian Greif praised the pilot’s bravery during the crisis.
“Our pilots undergo rigorous training to respond effectively and efficiently to any situation, and today we pause to recognise the bravery, skill and leadership that brought our aircraft home safely,” Greif said, calling the pilot’s actions “nothing short of heroic.”
Who was Akinyela Sawa Taylor?
The hijacker, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, was a US citizen and believed to be a military veteran, according to Reuters, citing police officials.
Information released by the airport indicated that Taylor was a teacher in the United States. Online records showed he had previously served as a football coach at McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri. However, when contacted by Reuters, a school employee confirmed that Taylor was no longer employed there.
Police revealed that Taylor had been denied entry into Belize just a few days earlier, prompting questions about how he managed to re-enter the country. Officials have now reached out to the US Embassy for assistance in the ongoing investigation.
Authorities also noted that it’s still unclear how Taylor was able to board the flight with a knife, pointing out that smaller regional airstrips in Belize often lack the security infrastructure to conduct full passenger screenings.
Belize’s Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, said during a press conference that the event would be closely examined in upcoming national security discussions.
“This is something that is going to be discussed intensively at the next national security council meeting,” he said, as reported by ABC News, adding that the pilot did an “exceptional job” handling the crisis.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed the situation during a press briefing, saying the agency was actively monitoring developments.
“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.
With input from agencies