A man hijacked a small plane flying over Belize and attacked two passengers plus the pilot with a knife, local authorities announced.
The incident occurred on April 17, 2025, during a Tropic Air flight en route from Corozal to San Pedro. The flight was operated by a Tropic Air Cessna Grand Caravan EX, registered as V3-HIG, with 14 passengers and two crew members on board.
The aircraft left Corozal at 08:17 local time. At 08:23, while flying at an altitude of 1,025 feet, the flight began transmitting squawk code 7700, which indicates a general emergency, according to data from the flight tracking service FlightRadar24.
Police received reports that a passenger hijacked the aircraft just before it was set to take off. The hijacker demanded to be taken out of the country and requested additional fuel for the aircraft, according to police.
The Belize Airport Concession Company announced they were informed of the hijacking around 08:30 local time. FlightRadar24 tracked the aircraft’s path during the hijacking, showing it flew toward Belize, located on the northeastern coast of Central America, and made erratic circles for over an hour.
Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams has informed the media that during this time, the hijacker attacked three Belizean passengers with a knife. However, one of the passengers, who had a legal firearm, shot and killed the hijacker, as reported by officials and local news outlets.
The aircraft successfully landed at 10:11 am local time, despite the challenging conditions. Tropic Air said in a statement that in the face of “incomprehensible pressure”, the pilot “acted with extraordinary courage and calm, guiding the aircraft to a safe landing.”
The Belize Airport Concession Company verified that the aircraft halted on the runway, and emergency personnel accounted for all passengers, with various injuries reported.
Injured passengers were airlifted to a nearby hospital for care after all individuals on board were examined. Currently authorities are interviewing other passengers to gather more information about the incident.
Police report that the suspect was denied entry into the country over the weekend, and officials are looking into how he managed to enter.
