A Ryanair passenger suffered injuries after being partially sucked through a shattered cabin window when debris from a damaged engine struck the aircraft during an emergency descent. The flight from Thessaloniki to Munich was forced to return to Greece following the incident, which occurred on Friday morning, 10 July 2026.
Mid-Air Emergency Over North Macedonia
The pilot detected an issue with the aircraft while flying over North Macedonia and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, part of the damaged engine reportedly detached and hit a cabin window, causing it to shatter. A passenger seated next to the window was partially sucked through the opening, according to witnesses.
An eyewitness told the German Press Agency (dpa) that the window smashed, as seen in videos circulating on social media. Another witness told Greek broadcaster ERT: “His head and shoulders were sticking out of the broken window.” The German newspaper BILD reported that the man was “sucked” through the window.
Ryanair Statement and Passenger Response
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. 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.”
Incident Details and Aftermath
The flight, originally bound for Munich, was diverted back to Thessaloniki Airport. The aircraft landed safely, and passengers were taken to the terminal. The injured passenger received medical attention on the ground. Ryanair arranged a replacement aircraft, which departed for Memmingen at 9:53 local time, minimizing the delay for other passengers.
This is a breaking news story, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation continues.
