US national fatally shot after attempting to hijack plane in Belize: officials

( NYPost )

A knife-wielding US national was fatally shot in the chest after attempting to hijack a Tropic Air plane in Belize on Thursday, officials said.

A state of emergency was declared at the Philip SW Goldson International Airport after Akinyela Sawa Taylor began attacking people inside the San Pedro-bound flight at 8:30 a.m., according to officials.

The hijacker, who was not immediately identified, slashed several people aboard the plane before another passenger shot him, with the suspect succumbing to his injuries, Newsweek reported.