Passenger arrested for opening Korean Air plane door midair

The woman was flying from New York to Incheon at 2 a.m. when she tried to open the emergency exit several times before she was taken down by the crew member, Yonhap News Agency reported.

She was handed over to the police upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.

The female passenger reportedly began to show signs of anxiety after 10 hours of flight.

She was about to enter South Korea after more than six months in New York and had no history of mental illness.

Police said the suspect tested positive for illegal drugs and was put under emergency arrest, Korea Joongang Daily reported.

A person can be sentenced to 10 years in prison for trying to open the emergency exit.

The woman could also face a prison sentence of up to 10 years or a fine of 100 million won (US$76,670) for drug use.

Last month, a teenager was sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to open a plane door mid-flight while under the effects of methamphetamine in June.

In May, a 32-year-old passenger undergoing mental treatment succeeded in opening the emergency exit mid-air on a flight traveling from Jeju to Daegu and was given a five-year suspended sentence.