On January 16, 1996, Jimmy Buffett’s Grumman HU-16 Albatross, dubbed the Hemisphere Dancer, was shot at by Jamaican authorities as he taxied in the waters near Negril.

The Jamaicans had mistaken it for a drug-runner’s plane, though Jimmy had “only come for chicken.” On board the plane was Chris Blackwell from Island Records and U2’s Bono and his family.

Bono describes the incident in a Belfast Telegraph article:

“These boys were shooting all over the place. I felt as if we were in the middle of a James Bond movie — only this was real. It was absolutely terrifying and I honestly thought we were all going to die.

“Thank God we were safe and sound. My only concern was for their safety. It was very scary, let me tell you. You can’t believe the relief I felt when I saw the kids were okay.”

When they heard the shots, Bono, his wife Ali, and their children dove for cover fearing they were about to be killed. He was so shocked that he and his family left Jamaica and flew straight to Miami, Florida.

The Hemisphere Dancer escaped relatively unscathed except for a few bullet holes.

Buffett penned a tune about the incident: “Jamaica Mistaica”, which appeared on the 1996 album Banana Wind.

Excerpt from the song “Jamaica Mistaica”:

It was a beautiful day The kind you’d want to toast We were treetop flyin’ Movin’ west along the coast Then we landed in the water Just about my favorite thrill When some assholes started firing As we taxied to Negril Just about to lose my temper As I endeavored to explain We had only come for chicken We were not the ganja plane Well you should have seen their faces When they finally realized We were not some coked up cowboys Sportin’ guns and alibis Chorus Come back Come back Back to Jamaica Don’t you know we made a big mistaica We’d be so sad if you told us goodbye And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky Well the word got out All over the island Friends, strangers, they were all apologizing Some thought me crazy for bein’ way to nice But it’s just another shitty day in paradise

Excerpt from the song “Jamaica Mistaica”:

It was a beautiful day The kind you’d want to toast We were treetop flyin’ Movin’ west along the coast Then we landed in the water Just about my favorite thrill When some assholes started firing As we taxied to Negril Just about to lose my temper As I endeavored to explain We had only come for chicken We were not the ganja plane Well you should have seen their faces When they finally realized We were not some coked up cowboys Sportin’ guns and alibis Chorus Come back Come back Back to Jamaica Don’t you know we made a big mistaica We’d be so sad if you told us goodbye And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky Well the word got out All over the island Friends, strangers, they were all apologizing Some thought me crazy for bein’ way to nice But it’s just another shitty day in paradise