In an incident that occurred on May 26 afternoon, a passenger aboard an Asiana Airlines flight opened one of the emergency exit doors before the plane’s landing at Daegu International Airport in Korea.
Fortunately, the plane landed safely without any casualties, although several passengers experienced breathing difficulties and were subsequently sent to the hospital for treatment, as reported by The Korea Herald.
Authorities detained a 33-year-old man on suspicion of deliberately pulling the lever to open the door.
Plane was still in the air
The incident took place around 12:45 pm when the plane, carrying 194 passengers en route from Jeju Island, was preparing to land at Daegu Airport.
At an altitude of approximately 200 to 250 meters above the ground, the forceful opening of the emergency exit door caused strong gusts of wind to rush into the aircraft, as depicted in videos of the incident.
Passengers near the door were buffeted by the intense winds originating from outside the plane. One passenger, recounting the chaos, informed Yonhap News Agency that individuals near the door began fainting one by one, while flight attendants urgently sought assistance from any doctors on board.
Panic & chaos
According to the same witness, panic ensued, with passengers running down the aisles and some young travellers crying and screaming. The entire ordeal lasted about 10 minutes until the plane finally landed safely.
Local authorities reported that over nine individuals sustained minor injuries and were promptly taken to a hospital in Daegu due to breathing difficulties caused by the sudden fluctuation in air pressure.
Asiana Airlines and Korean transport authorities disclosed that the suspect responsible for the incident was a male passenger seated in an emergency exit row, who forcibly pulled the lever to open the emergency exit. The crew members were unable to intervene in time, as no crew member was stationed near the emergency exits during the landing phase.
Tried to jump out of plane
Eyewitnesses informed Yonhap News Agency that the suspect attempted to jump out of the plane after opening the door but was restrained by fellow passengers. The man claimed it was an accidental action, as reported by The Korea Herald.
In accordance with Korea’s Aviation Security Act, anyone found manipulating the entrance, emergency exits, or other aircraft devices with the intention of jeopardizing the security or safety of a flight can face up to 10 years of imprisonment.
Following the completion of police investigations, the responsible individual will be held accountable for his actions, as announced by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
Header images source: Screen capture from FlightMode and Khaosod English on Facebook