Bizarre: American Hijacks Plane In Belize With Knife, Gets Fatally Shot

This is truly one of the most bizarre aviation stories we’ve seen in a long time. An American boarded a flight in Belize with a knife, hijacked it and demanded the plane fly to the United States, and was then shot by someone onboard. Huh?!?

Tropic Air Cessna Caravan hijacked by passenger

This incident happened on Thursday, April 17, 2025, and involves a Tropic Air flight that was scheduled to operate the short 43-mile flight from Corozal (CZH) to San Pedro (SPR).

For those not familiar, Tropic Air is a primarily domestic airline in Belize that operates over 200 daily flights using Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft. Corozal is located near the border with Mexico, while San Pedro is a popular island for vacation.

This particular flight was operated by a seven-year-old Cessna Grand Caravan with the registration code V3-HIG, which was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members. The flight took off at around 8:30AM, and was just supposed to take minutes.

However, moments after takeoff, one of the passengers hijacked the aircraft, armed with a knife, demanding that all his instructions be followed. The plane then circled for around two hours, as negotiations took place. Shortly before running out of fuel, the plane eventually landed at the country’s major international airport, in Belize City (BZE).

While inflight, the man had reportedly demanded that the plane fly to the United States. Obviously this would require a lot more fuel, so he demanded that the plane refuel in Mexico.

During the incident, the hijacker ended up stabbing two passengers plus the pilot. One of the passengers ended up fatally shooting the hijacker. The person with the gun was reportedly licensed to carry a firearm on the aircraft, and that weapon was later turned over to police. The people who were stabbed were taken to local hospitals.

Below you can find some video footage both from inside the aircraft, and also from the evacuation.

Tropic Air has released the following statement in response to this incident, from CEO Maximillian Greif:

A Tropic Air flight faced a serious and unprecedented in-flight emergency. In the face of incomprehensible pressure, our pilot acted with extraordinary courage and calm, guiding the aircraft to a safe landing. His actions were nothing short of heroic.

A number of passengers sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical care. Our hearts are with them, and we are offering all available support.

Safety is and remains our top priority. Our pilots undergo rigorous training to respond effectively and efficiently to any situation, and today we pause to recognize the bravery, skill, and leadership that brought our aircraft home safely.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Prime Minister, the Department of Civil Aviation, law enforcement, and medical teams for their immediate outreach and continued support throughout the situation.

Belize is a strong and heroic community in the face of emergencies. Today we are especially proud of our Captain, our Company, and our Country.

Who was the hijacker, and what was his motive?

The hijacker has been identified as 49-year-old Akinyela Taylor, who was an American, and even a military veteran. However, the motive for this incident isn’t yet apparent. Why did he hijack the aircraft, and what was his motive in wanting to return to the United States? He had just arrived in the country earlier in the week, as a tourist.

It sure sounds like there might have been some mental issues involved here, because nothing about this makes a lot of sense. He hadn’t faced any legal issues in Belize (at least that we know of) and could’ve returned to the United States on a commercial flight, so it’s not clear why a hijacking was needed.

It’s sad that there was ultimately a loss of life, but he put himself in this situation by hijacking the aircraft and stabbing the other passengers. How lucky that there happened to be someone onboard who was armed, and could take on the man with the knife. One wonders what would’ve happened if that weren’t the case.

Hopefully the passengers who were stabbed make a full recovery, as one was reportedly in critical condition.

Bottom line

An American man hijacked a small aircraft in Belize with a knife, demanding that it fly to the United States. He ended up stabbing three people, including the pilot. Fortunately another passenger was armed, and ended up shooting the hijacker, so that the plane could land safely.

What do you make of this Tropic Air hijacking?