A 26-year-old woman was arrested after attempting to open the emergency exit door of a Korean Air plane mid-flight. She was found to be under the influence of meth, New York Post reported. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the incident happened aboard a Korean Air flight from New York to Incheon, South Korea, on November 23 when the woman attempted to open an emergency exit on the plane.
The passenger reportedly began to show signs of anxiety after 10 hours of flight and tried several times to open the emergency door, but was restrained by the flight attendants. She was handed over to the police upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.
The woman later tested positive for meth after a drug screening. The Incheon International Airport Police are now investigating her for violating the Aviation Security Act and drug abuse under the Narcotics Control Act.
A police official said, ”Ms. A is babbling during the investigation,” and ”We have requested a detailed appraisal from the National Forensic Service to confirm the type and amount of drugs she took.”
Investigation revealed that Ms. A had been in New York for more than six months before entering the country the previous day and had no history of mental illness or psychiatric treatment.
As per Fox News, individuals who try to open an emergency exit door may face 10 years in prison, and may also face 10 years in prison or a fine of over $76,000 for drug charges.
A similar incident happened in India in September when a passenger in an IndiGo flight allegedly tried to open the emergency exit door while the plane was still in the air. He also allegedly misbehaved with the cabin crew. The crew members and other passengers intervened and resisted the attempt, with the flight landing safely at Agartala. Later, the police said that the man was suffering from depression and wanted to jump from the plane.
He was arrested for ”endangering the lives of hundreds of passengers” and getting into a fight with crew members on board, Officer in Charge of Airport Police Station at Agartala Abhijit Mandal told Press Trust of India.