A man opened the emergency exit on an Asiana flight while it was in the air on Friday May 26, causing panic on board.
The plane, which was carrying 194 people, had been traveling from the southern island of Jeju to the southeastern city of Daegu, a trip that takes about an hour.
As the plane approached the runway in Daegu, the man, identified only as a 33-year-old man with the surname Lee, opened the door at around 213 meters (700 feet) above the ground.
Authorities said some people had tried to stop the man from opening the door, but he managed to open it partially, HuffPost reported.
Witnesses told local media that the cabin crew had not been able to stop him as the plane was about to land, according to the BBC.
Video footage showed wind ripping through the cabin, with passengers clinging onto their armrests.
Officials said the plane managed to land safely, and police detained Lee immediately after touchdown.
No one was hurt, but 12 people showed difficulties breathing, with nine taken to the hospital, official said, adding that they were not in a serious condition.
“It was chaos with people close to the door appearing to faint one by one and flight attendants calling out for doctors on board through broadcasting,” a 44-year-old passenger told South Korean news agency Yonhap. “I thought the plane was blowing up. I thought I was going to die like this.”
Yonhap reported that there were 48 elementary and middle school children on board who were traveling to compete in a sports event in Ulsan, a nearby city.
“Children quivered and cried in panic,” the mother of one of the children told Yonhap. “Those sitting near the exit must have been shocked the most.”
Police said on Saturday that Lee told them he had lost his job recently and felt suffocated on the flight so he wanted to get off the plane quickly, according to Yonhap.
Police are now seeking an arrest warrant for Lee for opening the emergency exit and violating aviation security law, which could result in 10 years in prison.
