Passenger hailed as hero after fatally shooting knife-wielding attacker mid-air on Tropic Air flight to San Pedro
Belmopan [Belize], April 18: A mid-air horror unfolded on a Tropic Air flight to San Pedro when a 49-year-old US citizen, identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, attempted to hijack the small aircraft using a knife, injuring three people before being shot and killed by a fellow passenger.
The dramatic incident occurred on Thursday, shocking passengers aboard the domestic flight. According to Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams, Taylor launched an unprovoked knife attack while the plane was in the air, prompting a quick response from one of the passengers, who fatally shot him.
Commissioner Williams praised the armed passenger’s decisive action, calling them a “hero” for preventing further harm.
“It could have been far worse had that passenger not intervened,” Williams said, as reported by the New York Post.
Authorities are now investigating how Taylor managed to board the flight with a weapon, as security protocols for small regional flights are typically less stringent than those on international routes.
The US Embassy in Belize has been contacted to assist in the ongoing investigation.
The injured passengers are reportedly receiving treatment, and no fatalities were reported among the other passengers or crew.