A passenger on a Ryanair subsidiary flight experienced a harrowing incident when an engine failure resulted in damage to an aircraft window, causing him to be partially ejected from the cabin during flight. The passenger, Ljubisa Karović, was pulled back inside by his wife, Svetlana Grković, and two other travelers who assisted in the rescue effort.
The aircraft was operating as Malta Air, a Ryanair subsidiary, on a route from Thessaloniki, Greece to Memmingen, Germany when the incident occurred. Approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, tracking data indicated the plane experienced a rapid descent of 9,000 feet. The engine failure caused portions of the aircraft to strike and shatter the acrylic window near Karović’s seat. According to accounts from those present, Karović maintained his seatbelt during the incident, which proved critical to his survival. His wife immediately responded by grabbing his legs as he was pulled toward the window opening, and with assistance from nearby passengers, managed to drag him back into the cabin while the aircraft experienced rapid decompression.
The rapid depressurization of the cabin prompted emergency oxygen masks to deploy automatically. Passengers reported significant panic as the cabin pressure dropped dramatically, making it difficult for those on board to breathe. Karović lost consciousness multiple times during the ordeal, likely due to oxygen deprivation and severe shock. Several individuals on the aircraft fled their seats to other sections of the plane as conditions deteriorated.
The aircraft returned to Thessaloniki and landed normally shortly after the incident. Karović, age 61, was hospitalized and remains seriously injured and in shock. He sustained significant hand injuries and burn wounds and has been unable to communicate or recall the event. Ryanair arranged replacement aircraft to transport other passengers to their intended destination later the same day. The Hellenic Air and Rail Safety Investigation Authority has opened an investigation into the incident.
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