Ljubiša Karovi, a 61-year-old Serbian man, was partially sucked out of a Ryanair aircraft window at 20,000 feet after a piece of the engine broke off and struck the window. His wife, Svetlana Grkovi, clung to his legs to prevent him from being pulled out entirely, saving his life.
The incident occurred on Friday, 10 July, during a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany. The couple was returning from a summer holiday in Greece when the aircraft experienced engine trouble shortly after departing at 5:55 am local time.
Mid-Air Emergency Over North Macedonia
The pilot detected a problem with the engine while the plane was over North Macedonia and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, a section of the damaged engine detached and collided with a cabin window next to where Mr Karovi was seated. The resulting pressure difference caused him to be partially dragged out of the aircraft.
Ms Grkovi told Nova: "It was as if a part of the engine broke off and hit the window next to which my husband Ljubiša was sitting. I reacted immediately and grabbed his legs. I thought: 'If we die, we die together.' It was horrible."
Wife's Heroic Actions and Passenger Assistance
Ms Grkovi said she wished to personally thank another passenger who helped rescue her husband. Mr Karovi remains hospitalized with friction burns, a badly injured hand, additional burns, and severe shock. He lost consciousness multiple times during the incident and has little recollection of what happened.
Ryanair Statement and Aftermath
A Ryanair spokesperson stated: "A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen on Friday morning (10 July) returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window dislodged inflight. The aircraft landed normally and passengers returned to the terminal. One passenger requested and received medical assistance on the ground in Thessaloniki." The airline arranged a replacement aircraft, which departed for Memmingen at 9:53 am local time.
