Man flying from Cebu to Korea tries—and fails—to open plane door mid-flight
Being on a plane can be scary for some people, leading them to make rash decisions when fear takes over. Case in point: a South Korean man who attempted to open a plane door mid-flight, but was successfully stopped by the cabin crew.
The incident happened during a flight from Cebu in the Philippines to Seoul, South Korea. Officials from Jeju Airlines told CNN that an hour into the flight, the 19-year-old passenger was "acting strangely" and kept complaining that he felt "pressure" on his chest. The crew moved him to the front row of the plane close to the exit door so they could keep a close eye on him.
Without warning, the man ran towards the emergency door and tried to open it, but he was "immediately subdued by the crew, who used a lasso rope and tie wraps to keep him controlled for the rest of the flight."
Because of this, they were able to keep the plane door closed and ensure that none of the 180 passengers on board were harmed throughout the ride.
After the flight, the passenger was handed over to police at Seoul’s Incheon Airport for questioning. Airport officials said he refused to reveal what prompted him to open the plane door mid-air.
While chaos was prevented thanks to the crew's quick reaction, the same could not be said for the staff of an Asiana Airlines flight, where they were not able to stop one of their passengers from actually opening the plane's emergency exit.
The incident left some passengers with breathing difficulties. Some of them were even taken to a hospital after the landing, Asiana said, adding that no major damage or injuries were reported.