A passenger on a flight to South Korea sparked panic after trying to open the emergency door of a plane mid-flight, and dramatic video shows flight attendants tackling him.
The suspect, who has not been identified, is said to have sat in a cabin crew seat without permission while traveling on Korean Air flight KE658 from Bangkok, Thailand, to Incheon, South Korea, on November 7.
When a flight attendant ordered him to leave, he allegedly threatened her even though he was warned that he may have been violating the Korean Aviation Safety Law.
Footage shows flight attendants struggling to stop the man as he grabbed the door latch and allegedly tried to open it.
The crew was able to restrain the man, who reportedly threatened them and had been acting aggressively, and he was taken to a separate area to calm down.
A passenger on a flight to South Korea sparked panic after allegedly trying to open the emergency door of a plane in mid-flight
A flight attendant goes to arrest the man, who allegedly threatened one of the crew members after sitting in his seat.
Several flight attendants try to grab the man when they see him heading towards the door.
The Airbus A330-300 with 238 passengers on board landed without delays at Incheon International Airport in Seoul at around 4:45 a.m.
The man was handed over to Incheon International Airport police for investigation.
Korean Air said in a statement: “The incident was handled in accordance with our established safety protocols, to prioritize passenger safety and operational integrity.”
‘Although the situation was successfully contained, we will cooperate with the relevant authorities in the investigation of this matter.
“Korean Air maintains a zero-tolerance approach to behavior that compromises aviation safety and will continue to respond decisively to such incidents.”
In June 2023, a teenage passenger caused panic on a Jeju Airlines flight from Cebu, Philippines, to Seoul, South Korea, when he also attempted to open the plane’s emergency door.
The crew members tackle the man to the ground. He was later handed over to the police.
The 19-year-old South Korean reportedly rushed to open the door, but the crew quickly subdued him “using a lasso.”
They allegedly tied him up with ropes and restraints and moved him to the front of the plane for observation.
He reportedly tested positive for drugs upon landing. He was handed over to police at Incheon International Airport.
