Unruly Korean Air Passenger Breaks Part of Plane Window During Descent
An unruly passenger on board Korean Air Flight 12 broke part of his plane window Wednesday morning as the plane neared landing at Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN).
The unidentified 31-year-old man's behavior included abusive language, threats and violence during the flight, culminating in him throwing his tablet computer toward the window near his seat as the plane descended. The impact shattered the plastic interior pane of the A380. No injuries were reported.
He was immediately taken into custody upon arrival, and later discharged into the care of a relative.
Seoul police are investigating the situation, and the man may face charges of violence, damage to property and violating the South Korea Aviation Security Act. The charges may carry serious consequences, as the South Korean parliament recently implemented stiffer punishments for disruptive travelers convicted of inflight violence. Guilty offenders may face up to 10 years in prison.
"We will summon the man in the coming days for questioning," an Incheon security official said. The official added that the suspect had behaved "a bit mentally strange," but did not appear to be drunk.
