One Year After the Tropic Air Hijacking

Twelve months after one of Belize’s most terrifying moments in the air, the focus has shifted from the chaos in the air to the quiet aftermath on the ground.

On Holy Thursday 2025, a routine Tropic Air flight from Corozal to San Pedro was seized midair by American passenger Akinyela Sawa Taylor. Videos circulating of the real-time events showed a bloody scene and a stabbed pilot, Howell Grange. Taylor demanded to be flown out of the country and to the United States.

Despite his injuries, Grange kept control of the aircraft for over an hour before landing safely at the Philip Goldson International Airport.

Today, the physical wounds are only part of the story. “I have a lot of trouble sleeping… I guess I still have flashbacks now and then,” Grange told News 5.

He said his recovery has been slower than expected and the memories have not faded with time. “It is surely an experience I do not want to experience again for sure,” Grange added.

Tonight, we take a look back to that day and aftermath of survival. Tune in to News 5 tonight at 6 o’clock.