A passenger who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea told police that he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly as it approached landing, reports said Saturday.
Twelve people were slightly injured when the man opened the door of the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin. The plane, which was flying to the city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju, landed safely.
The man was detained by police in Daegu for allegedly violating the aviation security law. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
The 33-year-old told police that he had wanted to get out of the plane because he was feeling suffocated, Yonhap news agency reported, citing police.
![Police officers in plain clothes arrest an airplane passenger at Daegu International Airport in Daegu, South Korea. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/K4NJ5KNEKBBY7O33ROLLXS5W2A.jpg?auth=62e39b50788fbefe39e3ac071ead4b81075f375e70ca007b803b9eea847b15c1&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)