The tropical plane carried 14 passengers and two crew members and flew from Corozal, a town near the Belize-Mexico border, hijacked the popular tourist destination in San Pedro.
As the drama unfolds in the sky, the plane circles in a random direction for nearly two hours. The plane was made by police helicopters and then landed at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville.
A statement from the Belize Airport Chartering said that Belize authorities immediately announced the full emergency situation at local time after the incident began.
“In the face of incomprehensible pressure, our pilot acted with extraordinary courage and calmness to guide the plane to a safe landing. His actions were nothing more than heroic.”
Officials said two injured passengers and pilots were treated in the hospital due to injuries.
State Department spokesman Tammy Bruce said at a Washington news conference that officials are still collecting information about what happened.
“It’s scary,” she said. “We are very grateful to all of us, this hasn’t turned into a massive casualty incident, and I believe there are a dozen people on the plane. Obviously, we know some details. We don’t know more.”
Belize Police Chief Chester Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor and said he was a U.S. veteran. U.S. officials were unable to confirm the statement from the Belize Police Chief that Taylor was a veteran.
Williams said one of the stabbed passengers managed to shoot at Taylor, who was killed, adding that the passengers were permitted to carry a gun and later handed over the weapon to police. Williams said the passenger was stabbed in his back and suffered a piercing of his lungs. He is still in critical condition.
“We are praying for him,” Williams told reporters. “He is our hero.”
An official from Tropic Air spoke on anonymous because he had no right to talk to reporters and identified the injured crew member, Howell Grange. He said two injured passengers, one of whom shot the hijackers, were Fitzgerald Brown and Jair Castañeda. Their nationality is not immediately known.
Williams said Taylor asked to escape from the country, possibly Mexico, and once hoped the plane would land to increase fuel.
U.S. Embassy spokesman Luke Martin said in Belize that Taylor also insisted that he was taken to the United States
“We don’t know why he was going back to the United States,” Martin said.
U.S. officials said they did not know the motive for Taylor’s hijacking, but were working with Belize authorities to determine what was going on.
