U.S. man hijacks flight in Belize, stabs 3, is shot dead

A U.S. man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, officials said.

MEXICO CITY — A U.S. man hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, before one of the stabbed passengers fatally shot him, officials in Belize and the United States said. The plane then landed safely.

The Tropic Air plane was carrying 14 passengers and two crew members, and was flying from Corozal, a small town near Belize’s border with Mexico, heading to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro when it was hijacked.

The plane circled in random directions for nearly two hours as the drama unfolded in the skies. The aircraft was tailed by a police helicopter before touching down at an airport in the coastal town of Ladyville.

Belize authorities declared a full emergency immediately after the incident started, around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to a statement by the Belize Airport Concession Company.

“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,” said Maximillian Greif, the CEO of the airline company.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/us-man-hijacks-flight-belize-stabs-3-shot-dead-rcna201831

---