A passenger on an Asiana Airlines plane opened an emergency exit Friday in the middle of landing, the South Korean company told AFP, adding that the aircraft landed safely but that passengers were hospitalized. The incident occurred as the Airbus A321-200, carrying nearly 200 passengers, approached the runway at Daegu International Airport, located about 240 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The aircraft was still about 200 meters off the ground when a passenger seated near the emergency exit "opened the door manually by operating the lever," the representative of the South Korean company said. The unexpected opening of the door caused breathing difficulties for some passengers, who were taken to hospital after landing, Asiana Airlines said, adding that no serious injuries or significant damage were reported. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported nine people hospitalized.
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The passenger was taken to the police station to be questioned about why he opened the door," the source said. In a short video of the incident released by Yonhap, the wind can be seen rushing into the open door in mid-flight, cloth headrests and passengers' hair leaving in all directions, while some shout. Another video shared on social media shows passengers sitting in the emergency exit row next to the open door, shaken by high winds. Two of them, wearing their seat belts, wince as the wind blows in, as they cling to the armrests and try to turn away from the door.