Lead

A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Germany was forced to return to Greece after a cabin window dislodged mid-flight, partially sucking a 61-year-old man out of the aircraft. His wife, who grabbed his legs and held on, said she thought, "If we die, we die together."

Svetlana Maksimovic (also identified as Svetlana Grković) told Serbian outlet Nova that her husband, Ljubisa Karovic, was "outside up to his chest" for about two minutes before she and two other passengers managed to pull him back inside. The incident occurred on a flight operated by Ryanair's subsidiary Malta Air, traveling from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, Germany, on Friday.

Karovic is being treated in a Thessaloniki hospital with severe neck and arm injuries. His wife said he is "seriously injured and in shock," has burns, and does not remember the event.

Coverage Comparison

The story has been reported by multiple international outlets, each providing similar accounts but with varying details and emphases.

ABC Australia focused on the dramatic nature of the incident, describing a "deafening bang" and the passenger being "sucked through" the window. Their reporting highlighted that the aircraft landed safely in Thessaloniki and that a replacement aircraft flew passengers to Germany. They attributed the cause to a part of the engine breaking off and striking the window.

BBC — World and The Guardian — World both emphasized the heroic rescue and the wife's quick actions. Both reported that the incident occurred in North Macedonian airspace and that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are assisting the investigation. They also noted the aircraft was operated by Malta Air and that the man was sucked out headfirst after an engine failure.

All three outlets used dramatic language such as "sucked out" and "extreme decompression," and quoted passengers and officials to convey the severity of the event.

Key Claims

  • A Ryanair flight experienced a dislodged cabin window during a flight from Thessaloniki to Germany. The aircraft landed safely in Thessaloniki, and passengers returned to the terminal, with a replacement aircraft continuing to Germany.
  • A 61-year-old man, Ljubisa Karovic, was partially sucked out of the window, but his wife and nearby passengers pulled him back inside. He is being treated at a Thessaloniki hospital for severe neck and arm injuries.
  • The incident occurred in North Macedonian airspace, according to BBC — World and The Guardian — World. The aircraft was operated by Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary.
  • The cause is under investigation. ABC Australia reported speculation that a part of the engine broke off and struck the window, while BBC — World and The Guardian — World attributed it to an engine failure. A technical adviser appointed by the family believes a failure in the right engine caused debris to shatter the window, but that assessment has not been confirmed by investigators.
  • The FAA and EASA are assisting the investigation, as reported by BBC — World and The Guardian — World.

Perspectives

Wife of the passenger

Svetlana Grković said she immediately grabbed her husband's legs when he was sucked out, holding on with the help of two passengers. She described him being "outside up to his chest" for two minutes and losing consciousness three times. She expressed gratitude to one of the helpers, an Albanian man she wishes to thank personally. She emphasized her relief that her husband is alive, despite his serious injuries.

Ryanair

In a statement, Ryanair said the flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen returned shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged in flight. The aircraft landed normally, passengers returned to the terminal, and one passenger received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki.

Investigators

Greek authorities have described the incident as rare. A Greek prosecutor has launched a separate inquiry, and Greek air accident investigators are investigating. Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, has said it is assisting the investigation led by North Macedonia, where the incident occurred.

Timeline and Context

The flight was in the air for about 10 minutes when it abruptly dropped 9,000 feet (2,700 meters), according to tracking data cited by BBC — World and The Guardian — World. Oxygen masks dropped after the cabin depressurized. This incident highlights the risks associated with rapid decompression and the importance of safety procedures.