Hijacker shot dead after knife attack on Belize flight

A knife-wielding hijacker was shot and killed at Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize after attempting to seize control of a small passenger aircraft on Thursday.

The incident, which unfolded midair after the plane departed from Corozal, has led to the temporary grounding of all flights at the airport.

Belize’s Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, confirmed that the hijacker—identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, a 49-year-old US citizen from California—tried to take control of the aircraft carrying 14 passengers.

In-flight, the pilot alerted Air Traffic Control and was forced to circle above Belize City as fears mounted over a possible crash due to fuel constraints.

Upon landing, the assailant was confronted by armed police. While some reports state he was shot by police officers, others suggest a fellow passenger fired the fatal shot. Taylor was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

One passenger was critically injured while trying to subdue the attacker, and two passengers were taken to the hospital with visible injuries. Eyewitnesses described bloodied passengers and chaotic scenes on board. Footage circulating online shows a man with injuries believed to be sustained during the struggle.

Commissioner Williams praised the pilot for his calm and focused response, calling it an “exceptional job.” However, he refrained from commenting on Taylor’s motives, noting that the matter would be a key topic in the next National Security Council meeting.