SEOUL- Video footage has surfaced of a passenger attempting to open an emergency exit mid-flight on Korean Air (KE) flight KE658 from Bangkok (BKK) to Seoul (ICN). The incident occurred on Friday (November 8, 2024) and was captured by passenger Jackson Lee (@whojacksonlee) on TikTok.
In the footage, a male passenger repeatedly tried to turn the emergency exit door handle before the flight crew quickly restrained him.
Korean Air Passenger Tries to Open Door
After the man threatened crew members and attempted to open the door, he was handed over to South Korean police upon landing.
South Korean media outlet Maeil Business Newspaper (MK) reported that Korean Air confirmed the man exhibited aggressive behavior, attempted to access the exit, and threatened crew members during the flight.
The nine-second clip shows the man, dressed in a white T-shirt, holding up his phone near the emergency exit door and pointing it at cabin crew.
As he reached for the latch, a female crew member intervened, and a struggle ensued. Other crew members and a male passenger quickly assisted in restraining him.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the incident took place within an hour of takeoff. The flight operated by Airbus A330-300, registered as HL7585 landed safely at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, where the passenger was handed over to authorities for further investigation.
Official Remarks
Korean Air released a statement confirming that the recent mid-flight incident on KE658 was “managed according to our established security protocols, prioritizing passenger safety and operational integrity.”
The airline pledged full cooperation with authorities in the investigation, underscoring its “zero-tolerance approach to behaviors that compromise aviation safety.”
Korean Air stated that the passenger showed “non-compliant behavior,” including verbal aggression and threatening gestures.
Following standard security protocols, the crew issued multiple warnings before restraining the passenger under the captain’s authority and relocating him to a secure area.
Reports indicate the passenger, seated in an emergency exit seat reserved for crew, ignored instructions to return to his designated seat and instead approached the emergency exit door, threatening crew members.
The cabin crew informed him that his actions violated Korea’s Aviation Security Act, but the confrontation escalated, leading to a struggle before the crew restrained him and relocated him to a separate area. The plane, carrying 238 passengers, landed on time at Incheon International Airport, where police detained the man for further investigation.
This incident adds to recent disruptions in South Korean aviation. In June 2023, a 19-year-old attempted to open a Jeju Air (7C) door under the influence of drugs, restrained by the crew using a lasso rope.
Just a month earlier, a 33-year-old successfully opened an Asiana Airlines (OZ) emergency exit before landing, resulting in nine passengers needing medical assistance for breathing issues.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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