A man who caused panic aboard an Asiana Airlines flight by opening an emergency exit mid-air has told South Korean police that he felt “suffocated” and wanted to disembark quickly, according to authorities on Saturday (May 27).
The incident occurred as the domestic flight carrying nearly 200 passengers was preparing to land at Daegu International Airport, located approximately 240km (149 miles) southeast of Seoul.
The unidentified man, described as being in his 30s, without further details provided, opened the exit door when the plane was approximately 200m (650 feet) above the ground.
After the incident, the passenger was apprehended by Daegu police for questioning, where he revealed that he had been “under stress after recently losing his job.”
According to an AFP report, a Daegu police detective stated, “He felt the flight was taking longer than it should have been and felt suffocated inside the cabin. He wanted out quickly.”
@ktm_michaellim Passenger arrested for opening plane door during South Korea flight. A man has been arrested for opening a door of an Asiana Airlines flight as it was landing in South Korea. All 194 passengers survived the flight, which landed safely but with its door still open at Daegu International Airport on Friday. Some passengers fainted while others had breathing problems and were taken to hospital, local media reported. The man in his 30s said he was feeling suffocated and wanted to get off quickly, Yonhap news agency reported. #asianaairlines #airlines #airlinescrew #airlinestory #koreaflight #koreanflight #openingplanedoor #planedoor #plane #planes #flightdoor #airplane #airbus #xfile #passengers #passengeropendoor #funnypassenger #southkorea???????? #sounthkorea ♬ original sound – Michael Lim
The passenger may face up to 10 years in prison for violating aviation safety laws.
A video captured by a fellow passenger showcased the wind rushing through the open door, causing fabric seat-backs to flap and passengers’ hair to whip around wildly, leading to shouts of surprise.
Additional footage shared on social media depicted passengers seated in the emergency exit row being buffeted by strong winds due to the open door.
Following the incident, a dozen passengers were transported to a hospital after experiencing breathing difficulties. However, no major injuries or damage were reported, as confirmed by the transport ministry.
One 44-year-old passenger recounted the chaotic scene to Yonhap, stating, “It was chaos with people close to the door appearing to faint one by one, and flight attendants calling out for doctors on board. I thought the plane was blowing up. I thought I was going to die like this.”
An official from the transport ministry informed AFP that this was the first incident of its kind in the history of Korean aviation.
Experts assert that South Korea’s aviation industry maintains a strong safety record.
