A violent mid-air incident aboard a domestic flight in Belize ended in the fatal shooting of an American man who attempted to seize control of the aircraft on Thursday morning, The New York Post reported.
According to Belizean authorities, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, 49, brandished a knife and began attacking fellow passengers aboard Tropic Air flight V3HIG en route to San Pedro. The altercation began around 8:30 a.m. while the plane was still airborne.
During the chaos, Taylor managed to injure several individuals. However, another passenger on board intervened and fatally shot the attacker in the chest. The suspect later succumbed to his wounds, as reported by Newsweek.
The situation escalated to such a degree that officials at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport declared a state of emergency. As the violence unfolded, the Cessna Caravan aircraft circled unpredictably over the airport for nearly two hours before safely landing at 10:12 a.m.
Police Commissioner Chester Williams commended the passenger who intervened as a “hero,” crediting him with preventing further harm.
The plane was carrying a total of 14 passengers, including two US citizens, in addition to two crew members. The conditions of those injured is unknown.
Officials have yet to determine how Taylor managed to board the flight with a weapon. Compounding the mystery is the revelation that Taylor had reportedly been denied entry into Belize just days earlier.
“The question of how he re-entered the country remains under investigation,” Williams stated.
The US Embassy in Belize is working in coordination with local law enforcement as inquiries into the hijacking attempt continue.