A Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany turned into a terrifying mid-air ordeal after a cabin window reportedly detached shortly after take-off, nearly pulling a passenger out of the aircraft before fellow travellers managed to drag him back inside.
A Ryanair flight from Greece to Germany turned into a terrifying mid-air ordeal after a cabin window reportedly detached shortly after take-off, nearly pulling a passenger out of the aircraft before fellow travellers managed to drag him back inside. The passenger, identified as a Serbian tourist, was travelling from Thessaloniki in Greece to Memmingen in Germany. He suffered friction burns in the accident and was rushed to hospital, where officials said he remains in stable condition, according to AFP.
The aircraft was forced to abandon its journey and return to Thessaloniki after what Ryanair described as a "passenger window detachment" during the flight.
Videos circulating on social media after the incident showed oxygen masks dangling from the cabin ceiling and visible damage around the window area.
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Passenger's Head And Shoulders Were Outside Aircraft
A fellow passenger recounted the terrifying moments to Radio Thessaloniki, saying most travellers were asleep when a loud bang jolted everyone awake.
"Most of us had fallen asleep, we had closed our eyes. There was a noise, like a tyre bursting," the passenger said, according to TOI.
"We immediately realised there had been a decompression. There were screams ...for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door," she added.
She said oxygen masks immediately deployed from the ceiling while a strong smell spread through the cabin following the sudden loss of pressure.
"The head and shoulders of one passenger were outside the window. Fortunately, he hadn't taken off his seat belt," she said.
Passengers seated nearby reacted within seconds, pulling the man back inside the aircraft and preventing what could have been a catastrophic tragedy.
Greek media reported that the incident occurred while the aircraft was flying over North Macedonia. Preliminary reports suggest the window may have been damaged after debris detached from one of the aircraft's engines, although investigators have not confirmed the exact cause.
Ryanair Safely Returns Flight To Thessaloniki
Confirming the incident, Ryanair said the aircraft safely returned to Thessaloniki shortly after departure.
"The flight returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window detached during the flight. The aircraft landed normally and the passengers returned to the terminal," the airline said in a statement.
The airline added that a replacement aircraft was arranged to fly the remaining passengers to Memmingen.
The aircraft involved was reportedly a Boeing 737. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the window to detach and whether the incident was triggered by an engine-related malfunction or an impact from external debris.
