Belize City, Belize — A California man was shot and killed Thursday by a passenger after hijacking a plane. The man hijacked the small Belizean aircraft in mid-flight after leaving the city of Corozal.
The domestic plane was carrying 14 passengers and was bound for San Pedro Thursday morning when the attempted take over happened. During the hijacking, the plane was seen circling erratically over the coastline near Belize City.
Video footage from inside the aircraft showed passengers onboard, including a passenger with visible wounds. He was reportedly injured while trying to subdue the hijacker who was armed with a knife.
Police were updated on the situation inside the plane by a passenger who sent text messages. The plane eventually landed safely at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City where authorities were already on the ground awaiting its arrival. Airport ground personnel lined the chain linked fence videoing the plane’s landing.
Once on the ground, passengers were seen running toward the back of the plane as security forces ran toward it. At least two official vehicles were driven onto the tarmac where the plane stopped. Within minutes, it was surrounded by Belizean authorities.
Chester Williams, the Belize Police Commissioner, confirmed the hijacker was shot by another passenger. He was shot in the chest. The passenger who shot the man has not been identified, however, authorities say he was carrying a licensed firearm. Follwing the American hijacker’s death, police have identified him as 49 year old Akinyela Sawa Taylor from California.
All passengers were safely evacuated from the plane and are receiving medical attention. At least two passengers from the Tropic Air flight sustained injuries, reported to be stab wounds, by the hijacker.
According to early information, Mr. Taylor had requested the pilot fly the plane out of the country. It is not clear why he made the request.
