Svetlana Grkovic saved the life of her husband Ljubiša Karovic (61) by grabbing his legs as he was partially sucked out of a Ryanair plane window at approximately 20,000 feet. The incident occurred on Friday, July 10, during a flight from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany.
Mid-Air Catastrophe Unfolds
The couple was returning from a summer break in Greece when the aircraft encountered difficulties shortly after departing Thessaloniki at 5:55 am local time. The pilot identified an engine problem while the plane was above North Macedonia and decided to return to Thessaloniki. During the descent, a section of the damaged engine detached and struck a cabin window beside Karovic, causing him to be partially dragged out by the pressure differential.
Grkovic 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 Hospitalization
Karovic remains hospitalized and is unable to speak due to his injuries. His wife reported he sustained friction burns, a severely injured hand, and several other burns, and was left in a state of profound shock. He lost consciousness multiple times during the incident and recalls very little of what happened.
Passenger Assistance and Ryanair Response
Grkovic expressed a desire to personally thank another passenger who assisted in saving her husband's life. 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."
