19-year-old tries to open plane door mid-flight; here's what happened next

A Korean man had to be restrained and lassoed after trying to open the door mid-flight while complaining of "pressure" on his chest. The incident took place on a Jeju Airlines flight which was headed to Seoul, South Korea, from Cebu, Philippines, with 108 passengers on board, reported CNN.

The 19-year-old was later found to have been under the influence of drugs. After the incident, which took place on June 19, an arrest warrant was issued against the passenger, the report added.

The passenger, who hasn’t been named, started “acting strange after spending around an hour on the flight. Due to this, the crew moved him to the front row where they could keep a watch on him,” according to the report, quoting Jeju Airlines' officials.

After the man’s seat was changed, he suddenly ran towards the emergency door and tried to open it mid-flight. However, his attempt was “immediately subdued by the crew, who used a lasso rope and tie wraps to keep him controlled for the rest of the flight,” according to an airline official, the report added.

Pictures of the man’s actions have made their way to social media. In the pics, the person can be seen crawling near the lavatory.

The airline said that the door remained closed throughout the flight and no passenger was harmed. After the plane landed at Incheon Airport in Seoul, the man was handed over to the police.

Taking note of the man’s “abnormal behaviour”, the police told CNN that they conducted a drug test on him which tested positive. Now, the urine and hair samples of the passenger have been sent for testing to determine the type of drug and amount consumed by the passenger.

According to the airline, the man complained that he was feeling pressure on his chest. On being asked why he tried to open the plane’s door, he told reporters, “I felt I was being attacked”.

Police said that an arrest warrant was issued against the passenger for violating the Aviation Security Act.

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