A rider shot and killed an American national on Thursday in his apparent attempt to hijack a helicopter in Belize.
When Akinyela Sawa Taylor attempted to take control of the plane at knifepoint after it took off from Corozal toward Belize City, the incident took place aboard the aircraft from Tropic Air Belize, with 13 other passengers on board.
He allegedly demanded more energy for the airplane and was later taken out of the country, according to the police. Taylor had recently been denied access to Trinidad, and how he jumped on the plane is still being investigated.
Local authorities reported hearing Taylor shot in the chest as the aircraft circled while fuel was being drained by a Belizean traveler carrying a license gun, according to ABC News. After being stabbed in the back and breathing, that man is still in critical issue.
Two more people also received blade wounds during the conflict, though their current state is unknown.
The plane was occasions from running out of fuel, according to officials, and it safely landed almost two hours later at an airport merely outside Belize City.
A Tropic Air flight was reportedly confronted with a critical and unheard in-flight emergency earlier now, according to Tropic Air CEO Maximillian Greif. Our captain acted with amazing courage and calm, leading the plane to a safe landing, in the face of unfathomable pressure. His steps were little short of heroic.
According to Belize Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, the aircraft was followed by a helicopter in case a swift evacuation activity needed to be mounted in the event of a collision.
The Belizean Embassy stated that it was working with local authorities to solve their issue.
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