A small passenger plane was reportedly hijacked by a knife-wielding man in Belize on Thursday. There were 14 passengers and two crew members on board.
A source at the airport in Belize told Newsweek that “all flights are grounded” and that staff are “freaking out.” Local media reported that an individual was seen with visible injuries and blood on their face, and that the reportedly hijacked Tropic Air aircraft was believed to be circling in the air.
Newsweek reached out to Belize police and Tropic Air for comment via email.
The Context
The incident is the latest instance of violence on a plane, though hijackings have become increasingly rare over the years. According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been only a handful of hijackings so far this decade, in 2021.
What to Know
Belize’s Commissioner of Police Chester Williams confirmed the hijacking during a press conference on Thursday. He said police received information that the plane was hijacked after departing Corozal.
He identified the suspect as Akinyela Taylor, a U.S. national and U.S. military veteran. U.S. officials could not confirm the Belize police commissioner’s statement that Taylor was a military veteran to the Associated Press.
The plane circled airspace around Belize City and was facing depleting oil consumption, sparking concerns about whether it would crash if it didn’t land.
It eventually landed at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City. When the plane landed, passengers quickly disembarked and were met by the police. The hijacker was shot in the chest, Williams said. There were injuries among passengers, and one passenger who shot at the hijacker was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, according to Williams.
Williams described that passenger as a “hero.”
The hijacker was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, Williams said.
-Other passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment, he said.
An official at Tripoc Air, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak with the media, identified the man who shot the hijacker as airline employee Howell Grange. The two injured passengers were named as Fitzgerald Brown and Jair Castañeda, though their nationalities were not immediately available.
According to authorities, the hijacker, Taylor, had demanded to be flown out of the country—possibly to Mexico—and at one point asked for the plane to land so it could be refueled. U.S. Embassy spokesperson Luke Martin in Belize said Taylor also insisted on being taken to the United States. “We don’t know why he wanted to go back to the United States,” Martin said.
A stock photo shows a commercial airplane prepare to take off in Prague, Czech Republic.
EyeEm Mobile GmbH /iStock via Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Williams said at his press conference, when asked about security concerns: “I’m sure this is something that is going to be discussed intensively at the next national security council meeting.”
He added that the pilot did an “exceptional job” handling the situation.
“He remained calm, and he was extremely focused in terms of what he was going to do.”
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a news briefing in Washington that officials were still gathering information about what occurred: “Horrifying. 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. Clearly we know a few details. We don’t know much more.”
What Happens Next
The hijacking remains under investigation, and Williams said there will continue to be talks about how to improve safety in air travel after the hijacking.
Update 4/17/25, 1:49 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 4/17/25, 6:30 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and remarks.
