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A man accused of opening an emergency door on a flight in South Korea was officially arrested Sunday and jailed for up to 10 years on charges of violating aviation security laws, officials said.
During initial questioning, the 33-year-old told investigators he felt suffocated and tried to quickly get off the plane, according to police.
Twelve people were slightly injured on Friday after the door of an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321-200 opened, causing an explosion of air inside the cabin and terrifying passengers. Some testified that they had earaches and saw others screaming and crying. A video shared on social media showed a passenger’s hair being blown into the cabin.
Normally, emergency exit doors cannot be opened mid-flight due to the difference in air pressure inside and outside the plane. But in Friday’s incident, the man was able to open the door because the plane was flying at low altitude as it prepared to land and there was no pressure difference, according to Asiana Airlines officials.
South Korea’s Transport Ministry said the plane was at 700 feet (213 meters) when the man opened the door. The plane was preparing to land in Daegu on an hour-long flight from the southern island of Jeju with 200 people on board. They are among teenage athletes on their way to track and field competitions, Asiana Airlines said.
Passengers on an Asiana Airlines flight were horrified when someone opened the emergency door at the back as the plane entered Daegu International Airport in South Korea. The Airbus A321 was over 200 meters in the air at the time. The man was arrested immediately after landing.
Man said there was in stress: the police
On Sunday, a district court in Daegu officially approved a warrant for the man’s arrest. Police had earlier requested an arrest warrant, citing the crime and the possibility that the man might flee, according to Daegu police.
“I want to get off the plane immediately,” the man, whose face was covered in a black hoodie, cap and mask, told reporters in court before reviewing an arrest warrant.
“I’m sorry for the kids,” he said, referring to the teenage athletes.
Daegu police said they have up to 20 days to investigate the man before deciding whether to refer him to prosecutors to face charges.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for violating aviation security laws that prohibit passengers from tampering with entrances, emergency exits and other equipment on board, according to the Transport Ministry.
Daegu police said the man, surnamed Lee, told them he was stressed after losing his job and that he wanted to get off the plane as soon as possible because he felt short of breath before landing.
People taken to hospital are mainly treated for minor problems such as shortness of breath.
Asiana Airlines said in a statement that starting Sunday, it stopped selling emergency exit seats on its 174-seat A321-200 and 195-seat A321-200 aircraft as a precautionary measure. Lee was sitting near the emergency exit, airline officials said.
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