On April 17, 2025, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, 49, from California was shot and killed after hijacking a Tropic Air flight en route from Corozal to San Pedro in Belize. Armed with a knife she demanded that it be diverted out of Belize; immediately after takeoff she demanded this.
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At some point during the ordeal, Taylor stabbed two passengers and the pilot with his blade before an injured passenger managed to legally carry a firearm and shoot Taylor as soon as the plane made an emergency landing at Philip Goldson International Airport near Belize City. Taylor was declared deceased upon arriving at hospital. WATCH LIVE | NEWS FROM BELT CITY [WATCH | LATEST NEWS AND BREAKING HEADLINES WATCH LIVE| WATCH LIVE >> WATCH LIVE >> >>
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Belizean authorities revealed that Taylor had been denied entry days earlier; it remains unknown how he managed to reenter and board his flight with a weapon. Police Commissioner Chester Williams noted that smaller airstrips in Belize often lack comprehensive security screenings which may have allowed Taylor to bring onboard the weapon with him. People.com +3 Breaking news & headlines @ Reuters + 4 @ Wikipedia.
U.S. Embassy officials expressed regret over the incident and are providing assistance to local authorities with the investigation process. Tropic Air has applauded its pilot’s heroic actions, calling them nothing short of heroic; and pledged support for any injured passengers.
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+3 This incident has led Belizean officials to review and bolster security protocols at domestic airports to prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
