Ryanair Cabin Decompression Leaves Passenger Half-Exposed at 600 KM/H

A Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffered a sudden cabin decompression on July 10 after a cracked window was struck by a detached engine part, leaving a Serbian passenger partially sucked out of the aircraft.

A Dramatic Incident in Flight

A Ryanair aircraft flying on July 10 from Greek Thessaloniki to Memmingen near Munich in Germany turned back shortly after takeoff due to a crack in one of the cabin windows. Part of the aircraft’s engine reportedly detached during the flight and struck the window, shattering the glass. As previously reported, this led to the decompression of the passenger cabin.

During the dangerous incident, a passenger originally from Serbia was injured. At one point, his head and arms were outside the aircraft. Because he had not unfastened his seatbelt, he was successfully pulled back on board.

One of the passengers who rescued the man was his wife, Svetlana. She recounted the event to the Greek public broadcaster ERT, stating that half of her husband’s body was outside the machine for two minutes.

She reacted immediately and grabbed his legs, thinking that if they were to die, they would die together, as she told the Serbian portal Nova, which was cited by the BBC. The woman was helped by two other passengers, and she admitted that her husband lost consciousness three times during the event.

Miraculous Survival and Injuries

Following the emergency landing of the aircraft in Thessaloniki, the 61-year-old was taken to a hospital in the city. He arrived severely injured and in a state of shock. Eleven days after the dramatic events, Karović has his neck immobilized in an orthopedic collar. In an interview with The Guardian, he admits that he primarily remembers the roar after which he was almost sucked out of the airplane.

It is the sound preceding the chaos, a sound that returns every time he closes his eyes and tries to sleep, he says.

The portal reports that the man has burns and extensive bruising on his right arm, reaching up to his armpit and chest. He tells journalists that he considers himself lucky, noting that he remembers little, his head and neck still hurt, but he is alive. He suggests that his seatbelt may have saved him because he was still strapped in, or perhaps it was destiny, as he believes in God and thanks Him every day.

Ljubisa cheated death many times, says the man’s lawyer Vasilis Tsiaras, as quoted by The Guardian. He was flying to Germany for his brother’s birthday when he found himself with his head and right arm outside an airplane flying at over 600 km/h, looking death in the eye and returning from the other world.

Accusations Against Crew and Airline Response

Nobody from the cabin crew helped us; it was the passengers who rushed to help, the victim’s wife reported to the portal. One man, apparently Albanian, was incredible and did everything to pull him back inside, then tried to plug the broken window first with a bag that was immediately sucked out, and later with a suitcase, which succeeded, earning their eternal gratitude.

Ryanair defends the actions of its personnel, claiming that the cabin crew did a phenomenal job. However, lawyer Tsiaras disagrees with this assessment. He emphasizes that while the airline representatives contacted Karović’s son Danjell who booked the tickets, neither Ljubisa nor Svetlana received a call from the carrier, assistance, or any support. The lawyer adds, however, that the family has no objections to the pilot, who followed safety procedures and handled the situation very well.

As soon as the aircraft reached a safe altitude, our crew attended to Mr. Karović, moving him to another seat next to his wife, and organized assistance from a doctor on board who accompanied them until the safe landing in Thessaloniki, the airline stated in a release sent to The Guardian.

Everyone agrees that the crew was in shock and feared the plane would crash, while other passengers rushed to help and gave Ljubisa water, claims the Serb’s lawyer.

Recovery and Advice for Travelers

Doctors estimate that Karović’s convalescence will be a long process. He must wear an orthopedic collar for at least six weeks, after which specialists will decide whether surgery is necessary.

The man admits that his thoughts constantly return to the dramatic events on board, but emphasizes that his recovery is currently his top priority. He also believes that passengers are entitled to compensation extending beyond news regarding flight rescheduling.

When asked for a message to other travelers, he responds without hesitation to always fasten seatbelts, adding that he would not wish what happened to him upon anyone.