Ljubiša Karović, 61, has spoken out after being partially sucked out of a Ryanair plane when a window shattered mid-flight, leaving him with serious physical and psychological injuries. The incident occurred on a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, operated by Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air.
Karović was asleep when he was jolted awake by a loud bang. The acrylic window beside him dislodged, causing explosive decompression. Half of his body was dragged outside the aircraft, and he was covered in blood. "I had blood all over me, blood was dripping from my face and my hands," he told German outlet Bild. "Only for one moment was I conscious and I cannot remember the rest."
Heroic rescue and injuries
His wife, Svetlana Grković, grabbed his legs and held on, with two other passengers helping to pull him back inside. Grković told Serbian-language outlet Nova: "I immediately reacted and grabbed his legs. I thought: 'If we die, we die together.' It was horrible." Karović passed out multiple times during the five-minute rescue due to shock and oxygen deprivation.
He sustained a neck brace for six weeks, temporary paralysis on his right side, damage to his right ear and eye, and friction burns on his back and hand. The Boeing 737-800 made an emergency descent and landed back in Thessaloniki.
Psychological impact
Karović said: "Mentally I have hit rock bottom. As soon as I close my eyes, images appear of the nightmare I experienced. I am not even contemplating getting another flight. Every time I hear an aeroplane, I get stress and a fever. It is a complete upheaval in my life." He added: "My head and neck still hurt, but I am still alive... I believe in God and I thank Him every day."
Investigation and Ryanair response
Initial reports suggest debris from an engine smashed into the window shortly after takeoff. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said: "Initial indication would suggest it looks like a foreign object damage to the engine on takeoff at Thessaloniki, but we can't say that definitively." The US National Transportation Safety Board has launched a full investigation. Ryanair confirmed the aircraft returned safely, passengers were transferred to a replacement plane, and one individual received immediate medical treatment.
