A Ryanair passenger who was partially sucked out of a plane after a cabin window shattered mid-flight has been identified as Ljubiša Karović, 61, from Serbia. The incident occurred on Friday, July 10, 2026, during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany.
Emergency Descent and Window Failure
The flight departed at 5:55 a.m. local time. While over North Macedonia, the pilot detected an engine fault and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, a section of the compromised engine broke away and struck a cabin window, creating a pressure differential that partially pulled Mr. Karović out of the aircraft.
His wife, Svetlana Grković, clung to his legs for approximately five minutes, preventing him from being fully ejected. Fellow passengers soon joined to help pull him back inside. A passenger told Informer: "His wife Svetlana Grković held his legs for five full minutes, until the other passengers ran to help and managed to pull him back into the cabin."
Injuries and Medical Response
Mr. Karović suffered a neck wound from the impact and bruising to various parts of his body. He lost consciousness multiple times due to shock and oxygen deprivation at the altitude of approximately 20,000 feet. Upon landing in Thessaloniki, emergency services transported him to a local hospital. According to De Telegraaf, he remained conscious upon arrival despite being in shock.
Another passenger, Christina, told Radio Thessaloniki that his body was almost up to his shoulders outside the aircraft, with his wife gripping his feet.
Ryanair Statement and Flight Return
The aircraft returned to Thessaloniki approximately 20 minutes after the incident. A Ryanair statement said: "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. In order to minimise any delay, a replacement aircraft was arranged to bring passengers to Memmingen which departed Thessaloniki at 9:53 local this morning."
