Belize plane hijacking: Man with knife 'tries to take over jet' full of terrified passengers

A knife-wielding man has been shot dead by police after he attempted to hijack a passenger plane as it travelled mid-flight above an airport.

Police were called to the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize this evening following reports that the man had produced a knife on a small passenger plane and attempted to take over the aircraft. The Tropic Air plane was mid-flight, local media said, when the man - who has been identified as a US national - attempted the takeover. The knife-wielding American sparked terror when he brandished the knife among passengers and crew, and the pilot contacted air traffic control.

The aircraft was then held circling above Belize District for several minutes as authorities tried to gain control of the situation, and it eventually made an emergency landing.

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Local police stormed the scene quickly after the plane touched down, with one passenger on another plane waiting at the airport saying officials were "trying to kick us out" due to the unfolding incident.

Posting a video on from the inside of a passenger jet, they said: "They're trying to kick us out of the plane because another plane has been hijacked." They added: "We just saw the military police driving in a truck with a bunch of guys with guns. They're trying to land it here."

Flight trackers show the plane travelling in broad circles out at sea before travelling back inland to make its landing in Belize city, with observers noting the behaviour showed a "flight in distress". BreakingBelizeNews has reported that officers fatally shot the would-be hijacker after he resisted arrest when the plane eventually landed.

The outlet reported he was pronounced dead at the scene, and that he was bleeding with visible injuries as officers surrounded the aircraft when it touched down.

A source from the airport was quoted as saying at the time: "All flights were grounded temporarily, and staff were extremely shaken. We’ve never experienced anything like this."

Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams said following the attempted hijacking that he was in contact with a passenger throughout the ordeal, and that he had a knife.

The commissioner added that the attempted hijacker was a US veteran who had attempted to enter Belize via its northern border. Police are not certain as to how he was able to eventually enter the country, and authorities are yet to determine whether any passengers were harmed during the incident.

The Belize Police Department said it is conducting a joint investigation with the country's Department of Civil Aviation, but Tropic Air is yet to issue a public statement.