South Korean officials have arrested an unidentified male after he opened the emergency exit of an Asiana Airlines flight as the plane was landing in Daegu city. A video of the shocking incident – which Hindustan Times has not been able to verify – showed a gaping hole in the side of a plane and the wind whipping through the depressurised cabin. The video also showed terrified passengers sitting with their seatbelts on and gripping their armrests.
Officials said 12 people suffered minor injuries and had difficulty breathing. There were 194 people on board Asiana Airlines flight A321, including teen athletes en route to attend track-and-field competitions, media reports have indicated.
American broadcaster CNN cited an airline official as saying the man, who is in his 30s, who was sitting in an emergency row seat and he opened the door when the plane was about 700 feet (213 meters) in the air and about two to three minutes from landing in Daegu.
The flight is normally about an hour long. The incident is being investigated, the airline said.
Local police said the man had confessed to opening the door but has not yet explained why he did so. South Korea’s transport ministry said others on board the flight had tried to stop the man from opening the door but failed to do so; the door was only opened partially.
(With agency inputs)