By Zoila Palma: Belize is preparing to issue a formal protest note to Guatemala after a Guatemalan Army aircraft entered Belizean airspace, circled near Lighthouse Reef and remained inside the country’s airspace for approximately one hour and 10 minutes before exiting through the Sarstoon River. The incident occurred on September 24, 2026.
Francis Usher, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of National Defence said the aircraft, identified as FAG706, entered Belizean airspace from the east at approximately 7:29 p.m. and began circling in the vicinity of 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 added that “they began circling as if though they were looking for something.”
According to Usher, the aircraft disappeared from Belize’s 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 through 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 FAG706 eventually left Belizean airspace at approximately 8:40 p.m., departing through the south pass of the Sarstoon River. The aircraft therefore remained in Belizean airspace for approximately one hour and 10 minutes after entering from the east.
Meanwhile, CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oscar Arnold said Belize will deliver a protest note to Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including information on the aircraft’s location and movements. “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.
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By Zoila Palma: Belize is preparing to issue a formal protest note to Guatemala after a Guatemalan Army aircraft entered Belizean airspace, circled near Lighthouse Reef and remained inside the country’s airspace for approximately one hour and 10 minutes before exiting through the Sarstoon River. The incident occurred on September 24, 2026. Francis Usher, Chief
The post Belize to protest after Guatemalan Military plane spends 70 minutes in Airspace, turns off transponder appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.