Passenger tries to open plane door on Bangkok-South Korea flight

Panic erupted onboard a Korean Air flight from Bangkok to Incheon, South Korea, when a passenger allegedly attempted to open the emergency exit mid-flight, sparking a frantic scramble by the cabin crew to restrain him.

The terrifying incident occurred on Korean Air flight KE658 on Thursday, November 7. The unnamed man reportedly commandeered a crew seat without permission, ignoring warnings from flight attendants.

When told to move, he allegedly responded with threats, prompting immediate action from the crew. Passengers watched in horror as he reached for the emergency door latch, seemingly attempting to open it, a move that could have led to catastrophic consequences at high altitude.

Quick-thinking flight attendants leapt into action, with footage from the flight capturing the tense struggle as they wrestled him away from the door. According to reports, the crew eventually subdued him and relocated him to a separate area to prevent further disturbances.

The Airbus A330-300, carrying 238 passengers, landed safely at Incheon International Airport at 4.45am local time on November 7 without delays. Upon arrival, the suspect was handed over to Incheon International Airport Police for investigation into potential violations of South Korea’s Aviation Security Act, reported The Mirror UK.

Korean Air released a statement assuring passengers that “the incident was managed according to our established security protocols to prioritise passenger safety and operational integrity.”

Emphasising their commitment to aviation safety, they added, “Korean Air maintains a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours that compromise aviation safety and will continue to respond decisively to such incidents.”

This alarming episode follows a similar mid-air scare just months earlier when a 19 year old reportedly attempted to open an emergency exit on a Jeju Airlines flight. He was quickly subdued with a lasso and other restraints and later tested positive for drugs upon landing.

In related news, a Canadian passenger reportedly experienced a panic attack while a plane was taking off from Chiang Mai International Airport on February 7 and attempted to open the plane door, causing chaos and a delay at the airport.