Three other passengers were hurt after a US national hijacked a tiny Tropic air aircraft in belize on thursday at knifepoint. A passenger with a licensed pistol then shot and killed the hijacker, according to ABC News. The event happened when a man with a knife tried to take over the aircraft carrying 14 people while it was in midair.
After circling during the hijacking and almost running out of fuel, the plane returned to belize, according to accounts citing police.
The attacker, who was identified as a 49-year-old Californian, demanded more fuel for the aircraft and wanted to be removed from the nation. At 8:30 AM, Akinyela Sawa Taylor started assaulting passengers on the airplane headed for San Pedro, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency at Philip SW Goldson international Airport.
After being taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.
According to reports, Taylor had arrived in belize earlier this week. However, authorities said that he had been refused admission into the nation over the weekend.
BELIZE: CENTRAL AMERICA'S LEAST POPULATED NATION
About 410,825 people call belize, a small Central American country, home as of 2023.
Mestizo people, who have mixed european and Indigenous maya ancestry, make up more than half of the population (52.9%). 10.6% are Maya, 6.1% are Garifuna, and 24.9% are Kriols.
With around 80% of the population identifying as Christian, christianity is the most common religion. The least populous country in Central America is Belize. The majority of people live in tiny villages and rural areas, with about one-fourth of the population residing in belize City.
After circling during the hijacking and almost running out of fuel, the plane returned to belize, according to accounts citing police.
The attacker, who was identified as a 49-year-old Californian, demanded more fuel for the aircraft and wanted to be removed from the nation. At 8:30 AM, Akinyela Sawa Taylor started assaulting passengers on the airplane headed for San Pedro, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency at Philip SW Goldson international Airport.
After being taken to the hospital, he was pronounced dead.
According to reports, Taylor had arrived in belize earlier this week. However, authorities said that he had been refused admission into the nation over the weekend.
BELIZE: CENTRAL AMERICA'S LEAST POPULATED NATION
About 410,825 people call belize, a small Central American country, home as of 2023.
Mestizo people, who have mixed european and Indigenous maya ancestry, make up more than half of the population (52.9%). 10.6% are Maya, 6.1% are Garifuna, and 24.9% are Kriols.
With around 80% of the population identifying as Christian, christianity is the most common religion. The least populous country in Central America is Belize. The majority of people live in tiny villages and rural areas, with about one-fourth of the population residing in belize City.
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