Akinyela Sawa Taylor was a 49-year-old U.S. citizen who gained international attention on April 17, 2025, when he hijacked a Tropic Air flight in Belize. The flight, a Cessna Caravan en route from Corozal to San Pedro with 14 passengers aboard, was overtaken by Taylor mid-flight. Armed with a knife, he stabbed the pilot and two passengers, causing the aircraft to circle erratically as it neared fuel depletion. Taylor demanded that the plane be flown out of the country and refueled. The situation was resolved when a fellow passenger, legally carrying a firearm, shot Taylor in the chest as the plane landed safely at Philip Goldson International Airport near Belize City.
Taylor was a U.S. military veteran and a former high school football coach. Authorities later revealed that he had been previously denied entry into Belize, raising questions about how he managed to re-enter the country and board the flight with a concealed weapon.
The incident prompted investigations by both Belizean and U.S. authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Belize is assisting with the investigation, and Belizean officials are reviewing domestic flight security protocols. The actions of the pilot and the armed passenger were widely praised for preventing a potential disaster.
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