On July 10, 2026, a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen experienced a terrifying incident when a damaged engine part detached and struck a cabin window, causing passenger Ljubiša Karović, 61, from Serbia, to be partially sucked out of the aircraft at 20,000 feet. His wife, Svetlana Grković, described her desperate battle to save him.
Incident Details
The flight took off at 5:55 AM local time from Thessaloniki, Greece. Shortly after, the pilot noticed an engine problem over North Macedonia and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, part of the damaged engine broke off and hit the window next to Karović, creating a pressure differential that pulled him partially out of the plane.
Grković, who was seated next to her husband, immediately grabbed his legs and held on. She 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."
Injuries and Aftermath
Karović remains hospitalized with severe injuries, including friction burns and a badly injured hand. He is unable to speak due to his injuries and has been in a state of severe shock. His wife recalled that he lost consciousness several times during the incident and cannot remember much of what happened.
Grković expressed gratitude to a fellow passenger who helped save her husband's life and hopes to thank him in person.
Ryanair Statement
A Ryanair spokesperson 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."
The aircraft landed safely, and all other passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight.
