Mid-air Scare: Passenger opens Emergency Door on Asiana Airlines flight before landing

On May 26, KST, an incident occurred aboard an Asiana Airlines passenger plane, causing the emergency door to open mid-flight shortly before landing. 

An unexpected event unfolded aboard Asiana Airlines Flight OZ8124, an Airbus A321-231 jet (registration HL8256), as it was preparing for landing. The aircraft, which departed from Jeju Airport at 11:49 AM, encountered an emergency exit door unexpectedly opening just minutes before its anticipated arrival at Daegu Airport at 12:45 PM. Remarkably, the aircraft managed to land safely despite the open door.

An airport official confirmed that no passengers were harmed during the incident, stating, "The aircraft landed safely, and none of the passengers were injured." 

Yonhap News released a video of the situation, capturing the wind gusting into the plane during the flight. The door was opened when the aircraft was at a height of 750 meters (2,460 feet).

Although none of the 194 individuals on board sustained physical injuries, some passengers experienced significant shock and breathing difficulties due to panic, necessitating immediate medical attention upon landing. Fortunately, there were no reports of passengers losing consciousness.

Notably, among the passengers was a group of young athletes from Jeju Elementary and middle schools who were en route to participate in the National Youth Sports Festival scheduled in Ulsan on May 27. 

The mother of a 12-year-old student shared with Yonhap News, "The children were extremely frightened and shaken, many of them were crying." She added that those near the emergency exit appeared to be the most affected by the incident.

An official from Asiana Airlines revealed, "A passenger seated in an emergency exit row claimed to have inadvertently touched the emergency exit lever." Consequently, the police are currently investigating the matter, while the airline is diligently working to ascertain the precise circumstances surrounding the incident.