Witnesses and officials reported on Friday that a man narrowly avoided being sucked out of a Ryanair plane after one of its windows shattered mid-flight en route to Germany. Other passengers quickly intervened, pulling him back into the cabin.
Passenger Condition Stable
Authorities confirmed that the passenger, a Serbian tourist flying from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, was hospitalized with friction burns but remains in stable condition overall.
A fellow passenger recounted to Thessaloniki Radio, "Most of us were napping with our eyes closed when we heard a sound resembling a tire burst."
She continued, "We immediately realized there was a loss of cabin pressure. Everyone was screaming... and for a moment, I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency exit."
"Oxygen masks dropped, and there was a strong smell. The head and shoulders of a passenger were outside the window, and fortunately, he hadn’t unbuckled his seatbelt," she added.
Nearby passengers managed to assist in pulling the man back inside.
Greek media reported the incident occurred over North Macedonia, caused by debris separating from one of the plane's engines.
Company Statement
In a statement, Ryanair said the flight "returned to Thessaloniki shortly after takeoff due to a passenger window detaching during flight. The aircraft landed normally, and passengers returned to the terminal."
The Irish airline also noted that an alternative aircraft was provided to transport the remaining passengers to Memmingen.
Boeing acknowledged awareness of the incident and confirmed contact with Ryanair.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) verified that the incident involved a shattered window aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The FAA expressed readiness to assist Greek counterparts and provide technical support to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) responsible for investigating aviation incidents.
The NTSB stated, "North Macedonia, as the country where the incident occurred, will lead the investigation and determine the investigation team composition and any international involvement."
The board added in its statement that an American representative has been appointed, ready to assist alongside technical advisors from the FAA, Boeing, and General Electric Aviation.