In a bizarre incident on an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321-200 flight, South Korean police detained a man who opened a plane door just minutes before landing in the city of Daegu. This incident caused considerable panic among the passengers. The plane had departed from the holiday island of Jeju an hour earlier, as shown by the airport’s flight schedule, and landed safely around 12:40 p.m. (0340 GMT).
What Happened on the Flight?
“I thought the plane was going to explode… It looked like passengers next to the open door were fainting,” an unnamed 44-year-old passenger shared with the Yonhap News Agency. The unexpected event left nine passengers, all teenagers, with breathing issues, prompting their immediate transportation to the hospital, according to a Daegu fire department official.
A chilling video circulating on television, reportedly filmed by a passenger, displays the frantic moments before the landing. The footage shows an open door and wind rushing in, as nearby passengers try to make sense of the situation. The cabin crew, amidst the chaos, made an in-flight announcement seeking any doctors on board.
Authorities Investigate: A Breach of Aviation Safety Laws?
The man responsible for opening the door is now in police custody, and investigations are underway for possible violations of aviation safety laws, stated the transport ministry. An official of the transport ministry disclosed to Reuters that the authorities were scrutinizing whether Asiana Airlines adhered to protocols managing emergency exits.
The official pointed out that it’s feasible to open the emergency exit when the aircraft is near the ground, given that the pressure inside and outside the cabin are similar. “The plane was two or three minutes away from landing when the male passenger sitting next to an emergency exit opened a cover and pulled a lever so the door opened with the plane about 200 meters (656 ft) off the ground,” explained an Asiana spokesperson. At that time, all passengers were seated with seat belts fastened in preparation for landing.
Emergency Door Open: Post-Incident Details
Following the incident, pictures revealed an open emergency door near the plane’s left wing and a deployed escape slide ripped away from it. Expressing concern over this critical lapse, Sohn Myong-hwan, a professor at South Korea’s Sehan University’s aviation maintenance department, said, “It is particularly dangerous during landing and takeoff, so someone from the flight staff should have stopped that passenger.” He further stressed, “To me, it seems difficult for the airline to get away from any potential responsibility here.”
In conclusion, this unexpected incident aboard the Asiana Airlines flight highlights the importance of flight safety and adherence to airline protocols. It serves as a stark reminder of the need for passenger vigilance, prompt crew intervention, and robust safety measures to ensure peaceful and safe journeys for all.
Source: Reuters
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