South Korean police arrest teen who tried to open plane door mid-flight
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The plane’s door did not open and none of the 180 passengers aboard were hurt.
PHOTO: JEJU AIR/FACEBOOK
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Police in South Korea have arrested a teenager who allegedly tried to open a door of a Jeju Air plane mid-flight on Monday, the second such incident in a month in the country.
Fortunately, the Boeing 737’s door did not open and none of the 180 passengers aboard were hurt, according to Yonhap news agency.
The 19-year-old began to “act strange” about an hour into the flight from Cebu in the Philippines to Incheon, a South Korean city bordering the capital Seoul, Yonhap cited Jeju Air as saying. He reportedly complained about feeling pressure on his chest.
Jeju Air said the air crew then offered to move the youth to another seat near the jump seats, also known as auxiliary seats for flight staff.
However, that did not appease the youth and he suddenly ran towards one of the exit doors and tried to force it open.
The flight crew, together with some passengers, immediately subdued the teen.
The Korea JoongAng Daily reported that the teen is unemployed and had lived in Cebu for a month. He allegedly tried to “attack” the flight crew with a pen, according to the news site.
Once the flight landed, he was arrested by the police, said Jeju Air.
The youth reportedly asked the police about the number of life vests onboard and “if all of the flight crew would have been fired if he opened the emergency door”, said the Korea JoongAng Daily.
A passenger who posted an account of the incident claimed the youth had threatened to “open the door and get everybody killed”.
A Jeju Air official told Yonhap that there was no damage or casualties, thanks to the crew’s prompt action.
The incident follows an episode in May when a passenger opened an Asiana Airlines plane door
Nine passengers were taken to hospital with breathing issues.
The man in his 30s, who was arrested, told police he was feeling suffocated and wanted to get off quickly
He faces up to 10 years in prison for violating aviation safety laws.
