Passenger opens airplane door mid flight to save time, ends up in jail.

A passenger unexpectedly unlatched an emergency exit door, leading to a chaotic and panicky situation among the 194 passengers within the breezy 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.

Several fellow passengers made valiant attempts to thwart the individual's progress towards the door, but their efforts proved futile. Eventually, the emergency exit partially opened, unleashing a powerful gust of air that swept through the cabin. 

At least a dozen people suffered minor injuries in the harrowing incident before the plane landed safely, according to the Transportation Ministry.

“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,” 

Passenger on flight

The suspect in his 30s, was arrested at Daegu International airport and confessed to opening the door, but would not say why he did it.

Witnesses told local media that the unhinged passenger also tried to jump out of the plane.

“It is difficult to have a normal conversation with him,” an official said, according to the BBC. “We will investigate the motive of the crime and punish him.” 

Police officials

Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation expert with Airline Ratings, described the incident as “very bizarre.”

“It seems implausible that the door could be opened in the first place and then against the airstream technically impossible, but somehow or another it has happened.” 

Geoffrey Thomas, Aviation Expert

The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry said an aviation safety official would check whether there was an abnormality in the plane’s maintenance