Belize plane hijacking: Knife wielding attacker shot dead after trying to take over flight | World | News
A plane hijacker armed with a knife has been shot dead in Belize after attempting to take control of a plane. Police were called to the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize following reports of a man brandishing a knife on a small passenger plane.
Belize’s Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed the hijacking which he said happened after departing Corozal. It is understood that all flights at the airport have since been grounded with sources telling Newsweek that staff were “freaking out” following the incident. One source from the airport, told local media: “All flights were grounded temporarily, and staff were extremely shaken. We’ve never experienced anything like this.”
The incident unfolded when a man brandishing a knife in midair attempted to take control of the aircraft carrying 14 passengers.
The pilot alerted Air Traffic Control and was forced to circle the airspace around Belize City, prompting fears that it might run out of fuel and crash.
The plane eventually landed at the airport where the assailant was swiftly confronted by armed police and eventually shot in the chest.
Other reports indicate that it was a fellow passenger who fired the fatal shot at the attacker.
He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities have confirmed the identity of the hijacker as being Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a 49-year-old U.S. national from California.
Other passengers were safely disembarked and taken two were taken to hospital, with witnesses describing some as having blood on their faces and clothes.
Video footage from onboard the plane shows a man with visible injuries which it is believed he sustained when attempting to subdue the hijacker.
Williams confirmed that one passenger was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
The Police Chief said: “I’m sure this is something that is going to be discussed intensively at the next national security council meeting.”
Of the pilot, who he described as doing an “exceptional job” to handle the situation, he added: “He remained calm, and he was extremely focused in terms of what he was going to do.”
Williams however refused to be drawn on commenting on the man’s intentions or motivations behind the incident at this early stage.
