Man who hijacked a small plane in Belize and was fatally shot was a US veteran

By The Associated Press
Updated: April 17, 2025 - 8:45 PM
Published: April 17, 2025 - 8:15 PM

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A U.S. veteran was fatally shot after he hijacked a small passenger plane in Belize on Thursday, officials in Belize and the U.S. have confirmed.

After the plane carrying 14 passengers and two crew members landed safely, police in Belize identified the man as Akinyela Taylor.

Chester Williams, Belize police commissioner, said that Taylor wielded a knife and stabbed three passengers on the plane. Those people were later taken to the hospital to treat their injuries.

Williams said that Taylor was shot by a passenger who was licensed to carry a firearm, which he later turned over to police . The passenger was among those stabbed and remains in critical condition as he was stabbed in the back and lungs, according to the police commissioner.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A person who hijacked a small passenger plane in Belize has died and the plane has landed safely, officials in the Latin American country said Thursday.

Several people on board the Tripoc Air plane carrying 14 passengers and two crew members were reported injured, but authorities did not provide further details. It was not immediately known how the hijacker died.

The plane was traveling from Corozal to San Pedro and Belize authorities declared a full emergency after the hijacking, which took place at around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company.

The plane circled in random directions for hours until landing safely in an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville. All passengers were accounted for, according to the BACC, and those injured were flown to a hospital for treatment.