By Zoila Palma: A Guatemalan Army aircraft, FAG706, spent approximately one hour and 10 minutes inside Belize’s airspace on September 24, 2026, before exiting through the southern part of the country, according to Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Defence.
Usher provided details of the incident today.
Usher said the aircraft entered Belizean airspace from the east at 7:29 p.m. and began circling near Lighthouse Reef. “FAG706 did enter our airspace at 7:29 pm local time on 24 September and it entered from the East and began circling in the vicinity of Lighthouse Reef,” Usher stated.
He explained that the aircraft appeared to be circling between Lighthouse Reef and other aviation reference points, adding that “they began circling as if though they were looking for something.”
According to Usher, the aircraft disappeared from the secondary radar at approximately 8:07 p.m., indicating that its transponder had been turned off.
However, he said Belizean authorities continued tracking the aircraft using primary radar. “But even if you fall off the secondary radar, we can still track you using the primary radar. So, we were able to pick them up. They were still in Belizean airspace,” he explained.
Usher said the aircraft eventually departed Belizean airspace at approximately 8:40 p.m., around one hour and 10 minutes after entering the country. “At approximately 8:40pm, 1 hour and 10 minutes after, they initially entered Belize, they departed Belize through the south pass, the Sarstoon River,” he stated.
CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oscar Arnold has indicated that Belize will deliver a protest note to Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with coordination and location.
“And we will demand from them an explanation as to why this is taking place. We find it very troubling that the leadership would not have this information available to them at the time when they made the social media post stating that they operate within the scope of professionalism and respect of sovereignty,” Arnold said.
The post Guatemalan military plane enters Belize airspace, circles Lighthouse Reef and exits through Sarstoon appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: A Guatemalan Army aircraft, FAG706, spent approximately one hour and 10 minutes inside Belize’s airspace on September 24, 2026, before exiting through the southern part of the country, according to Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Defence. Usher provided details of the incident today. Usher said the aircraft
The post Guatemalan military plane enters Belize airspace, circles Lighthouse Reef and exits through Sarstoon appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
