Man Who Opened Asiana Plane Door in Mid-air Tells Police He was “Uncomfortable” – Yonhap
12:14 JST, May 27, 2023
SEOUL, May 27 (Reuters) – A passenger on an Asiana Airlines 020560.KS 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.
Police plan to arrest the detained man after investigations conclude, Yonhap said.
Jin Seong-hyun, a former Korean Air cabin safety official, said that as far has he knew, this case was unprecedented, but that passengers have opened emergency exits without authorisation while the plane is on the ground.
A South Korean transport ministry official said yesterday that it was possible to open emergency exits at or near ground level because the pressures inside and outside the cabin were similar.
"News Services" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Dollar Edges Lower, Yen at 34-year Trough
-
A Strong Earthquake Shakes Taiwan, Damaging Buildings and Causing a Tsunami
-
Taiwan’s Strongest Earthquake in 25 Years Kills Seven, Traps 77 (UPDATE 2)
-
Iranian Consulate in Damascus Flattened in Suspected Israeli Air Strike
-
Japan’s Nikkei Climbs 1.5% as Investors Scoop Up Beaten-Down Stocks (Update 1)
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- Cherry Blossoms Draw Crowd to Tokyo’s Ueno Park; Viewing Season Kicks Off to Slow Start
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- Whaling Mother Ship Built in Japan for 1st Time in 73 Years