South Korean passenger plane flies with open door, landed safely

Seoul, South Korea — A passenger opened the emergency exit door on a South Korean flight on Friday, causing a blast of air in the cabin before the plane landed safely, airline and government officials said.

Some people on board the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 plane tried to prevent the person from opening the door, but it eventually opened partially, the Ministry of Transport said.

The plane was on its way to the southeastern city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju with 194 people on board. Asiana Airlines said the flight is usually about an hour long, and details of the incident, including how long the door was open, are still being investigated.

In a video posted on social media by a person on board, some passengers’ hair can be seen being blown by the air blowing into the cabin through the open door.

The police detained the unknown person who opened the door, the airline said. Their motive was not immediately known.

Among the passengers were teenage athletes who plan to compete in track and field events in Ulsan, another southeastern city.

The incident scared some passengers, but no one was injured, but some passengers were examined at the hospital, Asiana and Ministry of Transport officials said.