Man: Why I opened plane door mid-air

A passenger on an Asiana Airlines (020560.KS) flight says he opened a door on the plane minutes before it landed in Daegu, South Korea, on Friday, May 26, because he was “uncomfortable”.

The man, in his thirties, told police that he opened the door because he “wanted to get off the plane quickly”.

He also told police he was stressed after losing his job recently.

According to Reuters, the man opened the door when the plane was about 700 feet (213m) above the ground, causing panic onboard.

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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.

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, on Friday, said it was possible to open emergency exits at or near ground level because the pressures inside and outside the cabin were similar.

The Star