A U.S. citizen hijacked a domestic Tropic Air flight in Belize on Friday, stabbing two passengers and the pilot mid-air. One of the injured passengers, despite serious wounds, managed to fatally shoot the attacker, averting what authorities called a potential mass casualty incident. 

The plane, carrying 14 passengers and two crew, was en route from Corozal to San Pedro when it veered off course. It flew erratically for nearly two hours before landing safely in Ladyville, escorted by a police helicopter.

The hijacker, identified as Akinyela Sawa Taylor, was described by Belize police as a U.S. military veteran, though U.S. officials couldn’t confirm that. Taylor reportedly demanded the flight divert to Mexico and later to the U.S. During the struggle, passenger Fitzgerald Brown, despite being critically injured, drew his licensed firearm and shot Taylor. He later handed the weapon to authorities.

The wounded pilot, Howell Grange, and the second injured passenger, Jair Castañeda, were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The motive remains unknown, and investigations by U.S. and Belizean authorities are ongoing.

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