Engine parts smashed Ryanair window that man's head was sucked out of, report says

What the report says

US investigators have said broken engine fragments struck a Ryanair cabin window during a flight last month, creating a hole that pulled a passenger’s head and right shoulder partly outside the aircraft. The preliminary report from the US National Transportation Safety Board concerns the 10 July service from Thessaloniki, Greece, to Memmingen, Germany, which was operated by Ryanair’s Malta Air subsidiary.

According to the report, the aircraft suffered a right-engine fan-blade failure shortly after takeoff. The crew reported high vibration, reduced engine power, monitored the situation, and later heard a loud bang. They then declared an emergency and returned to Thessaloniki, where the plane landed safely. The investigation was delegated to the NTSB by Greek authorities.

The article says Serbian passenger Ljubisa Karović was seriously injured and in shock after becoming partially lodged in the damaged window. His wife later told BBC Serbia that she and two other passengers held his legs for several minutes. Cabin crew also reported smoke, oxygen masks dropping, and passengers calling for help after the window was missing.

The report adds that the engine had passed ultrasonic inspections in May, and it notes that Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary had previously suggested possible foreign object damage. The incident is significant because it raises safety questions about engine failure, cabin integrity, and the emergency response on commercial flights.