Passenger Identified After Mid-Air Ordeal
Ljubiša Karović, 61, from Serbia, has been photographed for the first time after being partially sucked through a shattered plane window during a terrifying mid-air emergency. He was prevented from being pulled out entirely by his wife, Svetlana Grković, who clung to his legs.
Incident Details
The Ryanair flight departed from Thessaloniki, Greece, at 5:55 am on Friday, July 10, 2026, bound for Memmingen, Germany. Over North Macedonia, the pilot detected a fault with the engine and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, a fragment of the damaged engine broke away and struck a cabin window, causing Mr Karović to be partially dragged out due to cabin pressure.
According to the Mirror, his wife Svetlana Grković held his legs for five minutes until other passengers helped pull him back into the cabin. A fellow 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."
Emergency Response
Witnesses reported that the captain repeatedly called out "emergency" after the window gave way, and oxygen masks dropped. The aircraft was at approximately 20,000 feet when passengers heard a loud bang. Mr Karović had his head and shoulders pulled outside the plane. Fellow passengers said he was bleeding and lost consciousness multiple times due to shock and oxygen deprivation. A passenger named Christina told Radio Thessaloniki that his body was almost up to his shoulders outside the aircraft, with his wife gripping his feet.
Hospitalization and Aftermath
The flight returned to Thessaloniki in about 20 minutes. Emergency services transported Mr Karović to a hospital in the city. According to De Telegraaf, he sustained a neck wound from the impact and bruising to various parts of his body. He remained conscious despite being in shock.
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."
