After a passenger unlocks the emergency exit before landing, fliers nearly die

"Despite being halted by onlookers as the plane was about to land, a passenger opened the emergency door. The flight landed successfully despite the door being half open, according to the officials. How long the door was left open, though, is not yet known. The incident terrified the travelers.

"The police grabbed the passenger who opened the door after the plane had landed. It was not immediately clear why he did what he did, the airline stated in a statement. Some passengers, according to the airlines, were transferred to the hospital for evaluation. However, no one was hurt as a result of the passenger's reckless action, which could have resulted in a tragedy.

Police added in a statement that the passenger was not intoxicated and that he had not provided any justification for his actions.

Detienen a un hombre de 30 años por abrir la puerta de emergencia de un avión de Asian Airlines antes de aterrizar en Corea del Sur, este viernes 26 de mayo. 12 personas sufrieron heridas leves por hiperventilación, de ellas nueve fueron llevadas a hospitales. #RadioPanama pic.twitter.com/vnOiP1RK8j

— Radio Panamá (@radiopanama) May 26, 2023

According to a police official, it is challenging to have a regular dialogue with the jailed passenger. "We will try to find out the motive behind the crime and punish him," the official added. One of the passengers described the horror, saying: "It was complete chaos in the flight with people sitting close to the door fainted one by one."

"I believed the plane was exploding. 'I believed I was going to die like this,' a 44-year-old passenger was cited as saying by the BBC.

While the aircraft was still 250 meters above the earth, the accused opened the emergency door. As the plane was landing, the flight attendants were powerless to stop him, according to a fellow passenger.

Detienen a un hombre de 30 años por abrir la puerta de emergencia de un avión de Asian Airlines antes de aterrizar en Corea del Sur, este viernes 26 de mayo. 12 personas sufrieron heridas leves por hiperventilación, de ellas nueve fueron llevadas a hospitales. #RadioPanama pic.twitter.com/vnOiP1RK8j

— Radio Panamá (@radiopanama) May 26, 2023