SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A passenger who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea told police he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly as it neared landing, reports said. Saturday.
Twelve people were slightly injured when the man opened the door of an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 on Friday, causing an air explosion inside the cabin. The plane, which was flying to the city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju, landed safely.
The man was detained by police in Daegu for allegedly violating the aviation safety law. If he is found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
The 33-year-old told police he wanted to get off the plane because he felt suffocated, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing police.
Yonhap said the man told police he had suffered stress after recently losing his job.
Other South Korean media carried similar stories about the man’s motive. Reports say that the Daegu police applied for a warrant to formally arrest him.
Calls to the Daegu police went unanswered early Sunday morning. Contacted by The Associated Press earlier, Daegu police officers declined to provide details about the man, citing privacy concerns.
The plane was carrying 194 people, including teenage athletes, who were on their way to a track meet. The man opened the door as the plane was arriving at Daegu airport at an altitude of 213 meters (700 feet).
The people who were taken to hospitals were mostly treated for minor problems like breathing difficulties.