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Man Who Opened Emergency Door During South Korea Flight Allegedly Said He Felt Suffocated

Police will issue an arrest warrant for the man for violating the aviation security law, which carries the potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison

<p>Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</p>

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

A man who opened the emergency door mid-flight on an Asiana Airlines plane to South Korea on Friday explained he did so because he felt suffocated, police said on Saturday.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, police said the unidentified 33-year-old man told authorities he had been “under a lot of stress after losing his job recently” and opened the door because he wanted to get off the plane quickly.

Yonhap News Agency reported that following further questioning, authorities will issue an arrest warrant for the man for violating the aviation security law, which prohibits people onboard an aircraft from opening an emergency exit. This carries the potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

Asiana Airlines officials previously told NBC News the incident happened shortly before the plane landed on its hour-long flight from Daegu to Jeju island on Friday. At the time, the Airbus aircraft had been flying at about 700 feet, added NBC.

Related: Plane Passenger Opens Emergency Door Midway Through Flight to South Korea

Videos posted on Twitter show passengers seated near the open airplane door being blown back by the onrushing air while buckled into their seats. Their clothes and hair can also be seen wildly blown around as they clutch onto their seat armrests.

The airline told NBC News that there were 200 people onboard, including staff, and that other passengers had tried to prevent the man from opening the door and jumping out.

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The Korean Transport Ministry told ABC News in a statement that the man was previously detained after landing.

It added that passengers were treated at the hospital for symptoms including hyperventilation, while others reported suffering ear pain immediately after the emergency door was opened, reported ABC News.

Passengers on the flight included teenage athletes who planned to attend track and field competitions in Ulsan, another city in South Korea, according to multiple outlets.

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