In a startling incident, a 26-year-old woman was detained by police after she attempted to open the emergency door of a Korean Air flight en route from New York to Incheon. The arrest occurred at Incheon International Airport early Thursday morning after the flight landed.
Authorities reported that the woman, who had been in New York for over six months, displayed signs of severe anxiety roughly ten hours into the flight and repeatedly tried to force the emergency exit open before being stopped by the crew.
Korean Air Plane | Korea Times
The Incheon International Airport Police Corps took the woman into custody, where she underwent a drug test that came back positive for illegal substances. The police have not disclosed her identity but confirmed that she has no history of mental illness. Following the incident, the police sought assistance from the National Forensic Service to ascertain the specific types and quantities of drugs involved.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident in South Korea’s aviation history for 2023. It marks the third such case that the nation has witnessed this year, highlighting a disturbing trend of in-flight security breaches.
Phoot for illustrative purposes. | Unsplash
Earlier in May, a male passenger aboard an Asiana Airlines flight from Jeju to Daegu managed to open the emergency exit as the plane was descending, just 200 meters above the ground. The breach resulted in passengers being subjected to intense winds for approximately ten minutes until the aircraft safely landed.
In response to this incident, the Daegu District Court recently took a merciful stance, suspending the individual’s prison sentence for five years, recognizing his need for mental health treatment.
Another incident occurred in June when a 19-year-old was arrested for an attempt to open the emergency exit during a flight from Cebu to Incheon. Unlike the previous case, the teenager received a more severe consequence and was sentenced to three years in prison.
These repeated incidents have raised concerns over airline safety and the need for stringent measures to prevent passengers under the influence of drugs or alcohol from boarding aircraft. The aviation industry, along with law enforcement, is calling for increased vigilance and tighter security protocols to ensure the safety of passengers and crew aboard flights.
It’s the third time this has happened on a flight to Seoul, this year alone.