Pulse-pounding video shows Asiana flight’s panic as passenger opens door while still in the air
By Yaron Steinbuch
May 26, 2023 6:52am
A passenger aboard a South Korean flight opened an emergency door moments before the plane landed — sparking caught-on-video chaos and panic among the 194 passengers in the wind-swept cabin.
The Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 was about to land in Daegu after a flight from the southern island of Jeju on Friday when the passenger pulled the emergency exit handle at an altitude of about 700 feet, officials said.
Some of the other passengers tried to prevent the person from reaching the door but it partially opened, sending air whipping throughout the cabin as terrified fliers gripped their armrests.
Among the 194 passengers onboard were several teenage athletes who were on their way to a weekend sporting event in Ulsan.
At least a dozen people suffered minor injuries in the harrowing incident before the plane landed safely, according to the Transportation Ministry.
Several showed symptoms of breathing difficulty and were taken to a local hospital, Yonhap reported.
“It was chaos with people close to the door appearing to faint one by one and flight attendants calling out for doctors on board through broadcasting,” a passenger told the local news outlet.
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https://nypost.com/2023/05/26/south-korean-asiana-airlines-passenger-opens-emergency-exit-door-mid-flight/