Captain Howell Grange Discharged from Medical Care

Tropic Air announced that Captain Howell Grange has been discharged from medical care and is now resting and recovering at home. The airline expressed deep gratitude for the strength of its team and the support from the community during this challenging time.

In a statement, Tropic Air stressed its commitment to prioritising the well-being of all those affected by recent events. The airline is implementing enhanced security protocols and reviewing long-term safety procedures to ensure the continued safety of passengers, crew, and staff. Tropic Air CEO Maximiliano Greif assured that updates on these measures will be provided once fully in place.

The announcement comes in the wake of a terrifying mid-air ordeal over Belize, where American hijacker Akinyela Sawa Taylor was shot and killed by a passenger after hijacking a Tropic Air flight and stabbing three people.

Taylor, a U.S. military veteran and father of four, had arrived in Belize just nine days prior, on April 8, via an American Airlines flight from Miami, Florida.

Immigration records show this was his first time visiting the country.

In the days leading up to the attack, Taylor was involved in several troubling incidents. He caused a disturbance at the Philip Goldson International Airport when he attempted to board a United Airlines flight to the U.S. without a ticket, prompting security to remove him. On April 12, he tried to enter Chetumal, Mexico, via the Santa Elena Border but was denied by Mexican authorities and then refused re-entry into Belize. Taylor later surfaced in the Corozal Free Zone, where he reportedly spent the night in an abandoned building.

He was confronted by Corozal police and Free Zone security, during which he allegedly assaulted a police officer. Although initially detained, Taylor was released.

It remains unclear how Taylor returned to Belize or boarded the Tropic Air flight from Ranchito Airstrip early Thursday.