By Belize Live News Staff: More details have emerged in the aftermath of the shocking Tropic Air hijacking, revealing that the perpetrator, Akinyela Sawa Taylor, had an unusual and undocumented stay in Belize just before the incident.
Taylor, a U.S. national, reportedly exited Belize legally through the northern border into Mexico on April 11. However, the following day, he was spotted inside the Corozal Free Zone, where he had apparently spent the night without passing through immigration to be legally re-admitted into the country.
Police were dispatched to the Free Zone on April 12 after receiving complaints about his presence. While they removed him from the zone and brought him back across the border, he was never formally processed through immigration—a breach that has since triggered concerns over national security and immigration enforcement.
Despite the irregular entry, Taylor was released by police and allowed to continue freely. Less than 24 hours later, he boarded a Tropic Air flight from Ranchito to San Pedro, which he would attempt to hijack mid-air—resulting in his death and injuries to at least two passengers.
The timeline has sparked outrage and demands for accountability as authorities piece together how a man with no legal status in the country was able to fly domestically and attempt a violent act onboard.
