SEOUL–A passenger on an Asiana Airlines flight told police he opened a door on the plane minutes before it landed in Daegu, South Korea, on Friday because he was “uncomfortable”, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The man, in his thirties, told police that he opened the door because he “wanted to get off the plane quickly”, Yonhap said, citing the Daegu Dongbu Police Station. He also told police he was stressed after losing his job recently.
Reuters could not immediately reach police at the station.
The man opened the door when the plane was about 700 feet (213m) above the ground, causing panic onboard.
Nine passengers were sent to the hospital with breathing issues. All were dismissed from the hospital after about two hours, a fire department official said.
Jin Seong-hyun, a former cabin safety official at Korean Air, said that, to his knowledge, this case is unprecedented. However, he did note that there have been instances of passengers unauthorizedly opening emergency exits while the aircraft is on the ground.
A South Korean transport ministry official said Friday that it was possible to open emergency exits at or near ground level because the pressures inside and outside the cabin were similar.
Asiana Airlines’ Airbus A321 plane, of which a passenger opened a door on a flight shortly before the aircraft landed, is pictured at an airport in Daegu, South Korea May 26, 2023. (Yonhap via Reuter)
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