a passenger opens an emergency exit from a landing plane because “he was suffocating”

A passenger on an Asiana Airlines plane opened an emergency exit in full landing, the South Korean company announced on Friday May 26 to AFP. The latter specified that the aircraft landed without incident but that passengers were hospitalized.

The incident occurred as the Airbus A321-200, carrying nearly 200 passengers, approached the runway at Daegu International Airport. The aircraft was approximately 200 m from the ground when a passenger seated near the emergency exit “opened the door manually by operating the lever”. Detained by Daegu police for questioning, the man explained who he was “in a state of stress after recently losing his job” and felt that he “was suffocating inside the cabin”.

Nine people hospitalized

In a short video of the incident released by the South Korean news agency Yonhap, the wind can be seen rushing through the open door in mid-flight, the fabric headrests and the passengers’ hair blowing in all directions. the senses, while some cry out. Another video shared on social media shows passengers sitting in the row of the emergency exit, next to the open door, buffeted by strong winds.

The unexpected opening of this door caused breathing difficulties in some passengers, who were taken to hospital after landing, said Asiana Airlines, adding that no serious injuries or major damage are to be deplored. Yonhap reported nine people hospitalized.

“It was chaos. People near the door seemed to pass out one by one and the flight attendants called on the doctors on board by making announcements, while others ran down the aisle in a panic”said a 44-year-old passenger, still at the Yonhap agency. “I thought the plane was going to explode. I thought I was going to die like that”.