An American citizen identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor hijacked a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan with 14 souls on board in Belize on Thursday.
Taylor held the pilot at knifepoint and demanded a new flight path out of the country. He also demanded more fuel for the plane, according to ABC News, citing local law enforcement.
SECUESTRAN AVIÓN EN BELICE
El avión Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX, matrícula V3-HIG, perteneciente a la aerolínea beliceña Tropic Air, fue secuestrado cuando salia de Corozal rumbo a Belice.
El secuestrador fue identificado como Akinyela Sawa Taylor de 49 estadounidense, por el… pic.twitter.com/DTXxzevKKG
— 5toPoder La Verdad sin Miedo (@5toPoderSM) April 17, 2025
According to police, the crazed American was fatally shot in the chest by a passenger carrying a licensed firearm.
Authorities in Belize shoot dead a man believed to have hijacked a Tropic Air flight on Thursday.
The small passenger aircraft was reportedly mid-flight when Taylor allegedly brandished a knife, sparking panic among passengers and crew. pic.twitter.com/rqMusrzZzx
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) April 17, 2025
The Cessna 208 had been circling near Belize City at the time of the incident and nearly ran out of fuel.
Authorities said three passengers—all Belizean nationals—sustained knife wounds. There were two other Americans on board.
PASSENGER STABBED TRYING TO FIGHT PLANE HIJACKER
A domestic flight from San Pedro was hijacked by a passenger on board. The aircraft continues to move along the coast of Belize.
We are not sure what is the motive of the hijacker but we do now that one man was stabbed several… pic.twitter.com/mmeNWEodCQ
— Claudia Bryan (@ClaudiaBryan01) April 17, 2025
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 provided in-depth flight details:
The flight departed Corozal at 8:17 am local time (14:17 UTC). At 14:23 UTC at an altitude of 1,025 feet, the flight began squawking 7700, the internationally recognized code for general emergency. The flight continued toward Belize City and then vectored off the Belize coast for little more than an hour. The aircraft landed safely at 16:11 UTC (10:11 am local time).
Video from the airport shows a large emergency response meeting the aircraft on the runway. There were a total of 14 passengers onboard the flight. Authorities say three passengers suffered knife wounds and the hijacker was shot by a passenger who was carrying a licensed firearm.
Flightradar24 shared details about the operator of the plane and the type of aircraft:
The flight was operated by a Tropicair Cessna Grand Caravan EX registered V3-HIG.
Local outlet Belize.com shared an interview with a police official describing how the passenger with a licensed firearm neutralized the hijacker:
Plane hijacking in Belize ends with hero passenger shooting American hijacker dead as plane runs out of fuel on landing Commissioner of Police says. pic.twitter.com/YjIlwwGcUs
— Belize.com (@Belizean) April 17, 2025
The alleged hijacker:
#BREAKING: Over the last hour, a Tropic Air flight en route from Corozal to San Pedro, Belize, was hijacked mid-flight by a knife-wielding passenger, later identified as 49-year-old U.S. national Akinyela Sawa Taylor from California. Reports are conflicting at the moment, but it… pic.twitter.com/xyJSnIX7Oi
— Laszlo Varga (@LaszloRealtor) April 17, 2025
So, where exactly did the hijacker want to go if he got his demand for more jet fuel? The distance on a fully fueled Cessna Grand Caravan is about 1,200 miles; weight and weather will alter the range.
Surely the Cessna would’ve been blown to smithereens by F-22s over the Gulf of America if he attempted a US inbound flight.
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