Last month, a passenger decided to open the emergency exit door of an airplane 700 feet (213.36 meters) above the ground as it was descending. The incident left most, if not all passengers to be hospitalised due to breathing difficulties. Thankfully, the man was arrested soon after.
The terrifying ordeal unlocked a new fear of flying for many people. Unfortunately, the same thing almost happened again when a man recently attempted to open the emergency exit door during a flight to South Korea. Here’s what went down:
As reported by CNN, a 19-year-old Korean boy had apparently attempted to open the emergency exit door of a Jeju Airlines plane during a flight from the Philippines to South Korea. It was said that the teen was behaving strangely about an hour into the flight. He told a flight attendant that he felt pressure on his chest.
According to the airline, the cabin crew assisted the young adult and moved him to the front row which was nearby the emergency exit door so they can closely monitor his condition. The passenger suddenly ran towards the exit door and attempted to open it mid-flight. Thankfully, the cabin crew were quick on their feet as they lassoed the teen and tied him up to keep him under control for the rest of the flight.
Although it caused panic, none of the 180 passengers were harmed during the incident. Once the plane landed, it was later confirmed that the strange teen tested positive for drugs, according to Incheon Airport police. When asked why he tried to open the door, the perpetrator said, “I felt I was being attacked.”
An arrest warrant was then issued and the Korean teen was accused of violating the Aviation Security Act. At the time of writing, there’s been no update on the case. This is probably why seats near the emergency exit doors are usually left empty.
