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U.S. Citizen Fatally Shot After Hijacking Belizean Plane at Knifepoint

The hijacker injured three people before being stopped by an armed passenger, as authorities investigate border and airstrip security lapses.

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The hijacker of a Tropic Air plane in Belize has been named as 49-year-old Akinyela Sawa Taylor.
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Overview

  • Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a U.S. citizen, hijacked a Tropic Air flight in Belize, demanding to be flown out of the country.
  • Taylor stabbed three people, including the pilot, before being fatally shot by a passenger with a licensed firearm.
  • The plane, carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, landed safely at Philip Goldson International Airport with critically low fuel.
  • Belizean authorities are investigating how Taylor entered the country after being denied entry days earlier and how he boarded with a knife.
  • The U.S. Embassy is collaborating with Belizean officials to review security protocols at smaller airstrips and borders.